Acts19:8

Acts 19:8 says, And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. We find Paul once again going to the synagogue, for three months, boldly disputing and persuading about the things concerning the kingdom of God.  When we encounter someone who is wrong in their understanding of the kingdom of God, we need to be bold in our attempt to correct them.  Paul was not disputing just to tell them they were wrong, but to persuade them of the truth of Christ, the only way into the kingdom of God. Verse nine adds, But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.  Many of them didn't believe and spoke evil of that way, Christ, so Paul departed from them. He gathered with the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. Too many people still want to dispute the fact that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, but this is one point that we can never concede.  Verse ten continues, And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. He continued to proclaim Christ there for two years, so that everyone that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jew and Greek.  When Paul proclaimed the gospel and a church was established, it wasn't a building, but a group of believers who gathered in homes, schools or wherever they could find. When he went back to visit, he didn't go looking for a building, but for a group of people.  A church is not a building but a group of believers.  Verse eleven states, And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:  We are told that God wrought special miracles by the hand of Paul.  Paul did not do the miracles, but God did through Paul.  Verse twelve adds, So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.  The people around had so much faith in what Paul was proclaiming that they brought handkerchiefs or aprons of sick people to him and the sickness or the evil spirits left them.  Paul did not ask them to do this, nor do we see where he promised that they would be cured.  Even though they were bringing physical items to Paul, they had to believe in the divine power of God through Christ for the miracle to occur.  I say this because Paul was proclaiming the power of the resurrection of Christ, and he was there to glorify Christ, not Paul.  People have always tended to want some physical representation of God, from the golden calf in the days of Moses, to the Temple, or any other part of Creation that they see as representing God. We must remember that God is not contained in His handiwork, but dwells in the hearts of His people.  We cannot decide that God is going to work a miracle through us.  God worked special miracles by the hand of Paul. Paul did not perform the miracles, nor did he claim to. Miracles only occur through the power of God and to bring people and honor to Him.