Acts 19:20

Acts 19:20 says, So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.  We are told that the word of God grew mightily and prevailed.  Those who had accepted Christ had their lives changed, and they shared what had happened.  People today may argue with us about the Bible, but they cannot argue our personal relationship with Christ and the change it brings to our lives.  Verse twenty-one adds, After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.  Paul at this point proposed in the Spirit to go to Macedonia and Acacia and then to Jerusalem. After that, he proposed to go to Rome. Matthew Henry states basically that some see purposing in the spirit to mean Paul had decided himself but hadn't told anyone his plan.  Others, of whom I am one, believe that Paul was led by the Spirit to do this.  Knowing Paul as we do from everything so far, it would seem that he would not make plans without feeling the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  When we make our plans today, as Christians, we must ensure that they are based on the leadership of God and are not just our plans.  Verse twenty-two continues, So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.  Paul sent Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia, but he stayed in Asia for a season.  We could say that since he didn't go immediately that Paul was just planning these actions himself, but I believe that he knew what the Holy Spirit was leading him to do, but the time was not yet at hand. There may come a time in our life as a Christian that we know beyond a doubt that God is calling us to a particular place for a particular purpose but know just as surely that we aren't to go yet.  We must never try to rush God in His plans for us.  The other half of that truth is we must never try to delay God in His plan for us.  In order to be successful at this, we must have a close, personal relationship with God and trust Him to make His will known to us.  We can never afford to tell God what we are or are not going to do for Him. I hear Christians, even preachers, say they could never go to a particular place so they are sure God would never call them there, because they would be unhappy.  Again, we cannot follow God and tell Him where He can lead us.  Verse twenty-three states, And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.  While this was happening, we are told that here was no small stir about that way, or the gospel.  We need to pray that the gospel will still stir things up today.  Verse twenty-four adds, For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;  There was a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made a lot of money-making silver shrines for the goddess Diana. Diana was supposedly the goddess of the hunt and later of fertility and childbirth.  Demetrius became concerned about people becoming Christians, because he knew it would affect his business.  Verse twenty-five continues, Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.  He brought together other silversmiths and reminded them that they made their money from people worshipping Diana.  His concern was not really for the worship of Diana, but for his business.  Verse twenty-six states, Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:  He saw that he could not make money making idols or shrines for the followers of Christ.  Today, there are people who make money off religious artifacts, such as idols or books, who don't really care about whether the god these are supposed to represent exists or not.  Still, if their income is threatened, they can become very vocal.  Demetrius told his fellow craftsmen that not only in Ephesus, but throughout Asia, Paul had persuaded many people to turn away from Diana, saying there were no gods made by hand.  When we become Christians there is no room for idols in our lives.  Verse twenty-seven adds, So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.  He then told them that not only was their craft to be set to naught, but he finally mentions the effect on Diana.  She would be despised, and her magnificence destroyed.  He evidently had little faith in the power of Diana.  If someone proclaims another god or goddess today, we as Christians can be sure they will never destroy the magnificence of Christ.  Even though their concern was for their income, they stirred the people up by proclaiming the power and greatness of Diana.  People today who make money off idolatry are never going to tell people that if people turn to Christ that they are going to lose money.  They will try to keep people confused so that people don't turn away from their idols and the income continues.  Verse twenty-eight continues, And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.  The silversmiths accomplished what they wanted by claiming Paul and his associates were bringing dishonor to Diana.  They caused confusion and an uproar in those around them.  We don't have to look far today to see that some people will attempt to discredit or destroy Christians because of their gods.  Some even destroy those of their own faith because they believe these others are not being faithful enough.  If they truly believed that their gods were the true ones, their faith should not be threatened by someone preaching Christ, just as our faith should not be threatened by someone proclaiming another god.  Verse twenty-nine says, And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.  In the confusion, the followers of Diana caught Gaius and Aristarchus from Macedonia, companions of Paul, and brought them into the theater.  This was not a place of entertainment, but a place of judgment.  Verse thirty adds, And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.  Paul would have gone after them, but his friends stopped him.  Paul was the real focus of their anger.  Though he was willing to put himself in danger, his friends felt it wasn’t a good thing to do.  Sometimes, we may need to listen to our friends, unless we know beyond a doubt that God is leading us into a dangerous situation. Verse thirty-one continues, And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.  We are told a chief of Asia, a friend of Paul's, also asked him not to go.  I believe this would have further reinforced what Paul’s friends were advising him to do.