Ephesus: God Uses Circumstances Acts 19:1-20d3342ffrifklfk.cloudfront.net/pdf/160/Acts 19.1-20...God...
Transcript of Ephesus: God Uses Circumstances Acts 19:1-20d3342ffrifklfk.cloudfront.net/pdf/160/Acts 19.1-20...God...
Ephesus: God Uses C ircumstances
Acts 19:1-20
The Amphitheater
Main Street
Main Street
The Library
The Temple of Diana
God Uses Circumstances
God Uses Circumstances
1. God Uses Uncertainty
• God doesn’t condemn us for what we
don’t know
God Uses Circumstances
1. God Uses Uncertainty
• God doesn’t condemn us for what we
don’t know
2. God Uses Location
• God can do “exceedingly abundantly”
even when we don’t know!
God Uses Circumstances
3. God Uses The Supernatural
• God wants us to be confident, yet
circumspect about what we don’t know
God Uses Circumstances
3. God Uses The Supernatural
• God wants us to be confident, yet
circumspect about what we don’t know
4. God Uses Adverse Events
• God can be glorified at any time,
particularly when adversity is what
we know
Verses 1-7: God Uses Uncertainty
Verses 1-7: God Uses Uncertainty
• “Good” Ignorance
Verses 1-7: God Uses Uncertainty
• “Good” Ignorance • Regional – Acts 18:25-26
Verses 1-7: God Uses Uncertainty
• “Good” Ignorance • Regional – Acts 18:25-26
• John’s message – Luke 3:8, 16
Verses 1-7: God Uses Uncertainty
• “Good” Ignorance • Regional – Acts 18:25-26
• John’s message – Luke 3:8, 16
• Paul’s message
Verses 1-7: God Uses Uncertainty
• “Good” Ignorance • Regional – Acts 18:25-26
• John’s message – Luke 3:8, 16
• Paul’s message
• God’s message – Repentance,
Baptism, Forgiveness through Jesus,
the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)
Verses 1-7: God Uses Uncertainty
God doesn’t condemn us for what we
don’t know
Ephesians 1:15-21
Ephesians 1:15-21
• God Wants Us to Know:
Ephesians 1:15-21
• God Wants Us to Know: • Gifts to us
Ephesians 1:15-21
• God Wants Us to Know: • Gifts to us
• Knowledge for us
Ephesians 1:15-21
• God Wants Us to Know: • Gifts to us
• Knowledge for us
• Power toward us
8-10: God Uses Location
8-10: God Uses Location
• Paul:
8-10: God Uses Location
• Paul: • Bold: Acts 9:27, 29; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8;
26:26
8-10: God Uses Location
• Paul: • Bold: Acts 9:27, 29; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8;
26:26
• Rational: Acts 17:2, 17; 18:4, 19; 19:8;
20:7; 24:25
8-10: God Uses Location
• Paul: • Bold: Acts 9:27, 29; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8;
26:26
• Rational: Acts 17:2, 17; 18:4, 19; 19:8;
20:7; 24:25
• Diplomatic: 13:43; 14:9; 17:4; 18:4; 19:8,
26; 26:26; 28:23-24
8-10: God Uses Location
8-10: God Uses Location
• Asia is Reached with the Gospel
8-10: God Uses Location
• Asia is Reached with the Gospel • Previously: “Now when they had gone
through Phrygia and the region of
Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy
Spirit to preach the word in Asia” (Acts
16:6)
8-10: God Uses Location
• Asia is Reached with the Gospel • Previously: “Now when they had gone
through Phrygia and the region of
Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy
Spirit to preach the word in Asia” (Acts
16:6)
• Eventually: “John, to the seven
churches which are in Asia”(Rev. 1:4)
8-10: God Uses Location
God can do “exceedingly abundantly”
even when we don’t know!
11-16: God Uses the Supernatural
11-16: God Uses the Supernatural
• God’s Spirit
11-16: God Uses the Supernatural
• God’s Spirit • The Holy Spirit (verse 6)
11-16: God Uses the Supernatural
• God’s Spirit • The Holy Spirit (verse 6)
• Miracles (11-12)
• “Unusual” miracles for an unusual city
11-16: God Uses the Supernatural
• God’s Spirit • The Holy Spirit (verse 6)
• Miracles (11-12)
• “Unusual” miracles for an unusual city
• Evil Spirits
11-16: God Uses the Supernatural
• God’s Spirit • The Holy Spirit (verse 6)
• Miracles (11-12)
• “Unusual” miracles for an unusual city
• Evil Spirits • “Bad” Ignorance
11-16: God Uses the Supernatural
• God’s Spirit • The Holy Spirit (verse 6)
• Miracles (11-12)
• “Unusual” miracles for an unusual city
• Evil Spirits • “Bad” Ignorance • Self-assurance and presumption (13)
• Pain and Embarrassment (15-16)
Ephesians 6:10-12
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord
and in the power of His might. Put on the
whole armor of God, that you may be able
to stand against the wiles of the devil. For
we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this
age…”
11-16: God Uses the Supernatural
God wants us to be confident, yet
circumspect about what we don’t know
17-20: God Uses Adverse Events
17-20: God Uses Adverse Events
• The Sequence:
17-20: God Uses Adverse Events
• The Sequence: • Fear of God
17-20: God Uses Adverse Events
• The Sequence: • Fear of God
• Magnification of Jesus
17-20: God Uses Adverse Events
• The Sequence: • Fear of God
• Magnification of Jesus
• Belief in Jesus
17-20: God Uses Adverse Events
• The Sequence: • Fear of God
• Magnification of Jesus
• Belief in Jesus
• Proof of Jesus
17-20: God Uses Adverse Events
• The Sequence: • Fear of God
• Magnification of Jesus
• Belief in Jesus
• Proof of Jesus
• Spread of the Kingdom of Jesus
Ephesians 6:19-20
“…and for me, that utterance may be
given to me, that I may open my mouth
boldly to make known the mystery of the
gospel, for which I am an ambassador in
chains…”
17-20: God Uses Adverse Events
God can be glorified at any time,
particularly when adversity is what we
know