The Riot in Ephesus
Tom Shrader walks through Acts 19:21–20:1, narrating how Demetrius the silversmith incited a riot against Paul after the gospel's spread cut into the trade in idols dedicated to the goddess Artemis. Shrader draws out the spiritual warfare beneath the civic chaos, noting that Paul's response was neither political protest nor strategic campaign but simply faithful preaching and transformed living. The application focuses on three conditions for fruitful witness: total commitment to Christ, a life purged of known sin, and reliance on the gospel message rather than manufactured methods.
“Changed lives change lives. If you're changed and you proclaim that truth, your Christian life will be so fruitful you will truly stand in awe.”
— Tom Shrader
Series: Acts
Recorded: 2000 at East Valley Bible Church
Duration: 1 hr 13 min
Themes: spiritual warfare, persecution, witnessing, idolatry, courage, opposition, faithfulness, gospel, facing opposition, sharing faith at work, feeling afraid, new believer, young adult, navigating conflict, pastor, missionary
Scripture: Acts 19:21-20:1, Ephesians 6:10, 1 Thessalonians 1:9, James 2:15-16, Romans 15, 2 Corinthians 1:8, 1 Timothy 1:20
Theological Themes: spiritual warfare, missiology, sanctification, repentance, acts of the apostles, evangelism, total commitment, gospel proclamation
Full Transcript
Introduction to Acts 19
We are in the book of Acts, looking at the nineteenth chapter, which covers a good portion of the three years Paul spent in Ephesus. Luke is not recording every incident in Paul's life during this time, but giving us an overview — selected specific events so that we would have a sense of what Paul was experiencing there. Last week we saw Paul deal with the truth of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, extraordinary miracles take place, and the profound effect that had in the church. Today we look at another incident, titled "The Riot in Ephesus," beginning in Acts chapter 19, verse 21, through and including Acts chapter 20, verse 1.
As a teacher, this is the hardest type of passage to handle — it is a narrative, a story. The challenge is to make sure you understand the story, understand the lesson God has in it for us, and then, as we always do at East Valley Bible Church, ask three questions: What did he say? Is it true? And what is the "so what" of this for us? Hopefully we can accomplish all of those this morning.
Spiritual Opposition in Ephesus
As we head into this passage, you are going to see opposition — spiritual opposition. Remember, years from this point in Acts 19, Paul writes back to the church at Ephesus, and in Ephesians chapter 6, verse 10, he says, "Be strong, stand firm in the Lord," and then he reminds them: "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places." Today you will see yet another example of spiritual warfare, and it culminates in a near riot in Ephesus.
The Cast of Characters
Before we get into the text, I want to introduce the cast of characters in the order they appear. First is Paul, the apostle, whom you are familiar with. Then Timothy and Erastus, co-workers of Paul whom he will send on a special assignment. Demetrius is a silversmith and the president of their union, their guild, as we will see. The crowd refers to the multitudes gathering around — and you will see that they have been partying for a while when we meet them in this story.
Gaius and Aristarchus are Paul's traveling companions, with him at this point in time. The Asiarchs are ruling authorities who serve as the liaison between Ephesus and Rome, since Ephesus is still part of the Roman Empire. Then we meet Alexander, a man hanging in the crowd who makes the mistake of trying to speak to an angry mob — the problem being that he is a Jew. And then, probably one of the key figures in this passage, is the town clerk, who in our context today would be known as the mayor of the city. Those are the players in this cast of characters.
Paul's Travel Plans
We begin in Acts chapter 19, verse 21. "After these things were finished, Paul purposed in his spirit to go to Jerusalem, after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, 'After I have been there, I must also see Rome.' Having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while." So Paul sends Timothy and Erastus ahead to do reconnaissance work and to prepare the way, and he shares his itinerary: Macedonia and Achaia, then Jerusalem, then Rome.
Now this is really important. Paul is in Ephesus. Jerusalem is southeast of Ephesus. Macedonia and Achaia are northwest of Ephesus. He is going in exactly the opposite direction of his final destination — but there is purpose to this. Paul is not randomly traveling around.
Four Purposes Behind Paul's Itinerary
His itinerary is driven by four things. First, there is a concern for the new Christians. As always, the beat of Paul's heart is to find out how the church is doing — what is happening in Berea, in Thessalonica, in Corinth, and all the other places he has planted churches. Second, part of that concern is to secure unity in the body. When we talk about unity in the body, we are not simply talking about "can't we all get along." We ought to be able to get along when there is agreement on doctrinal truths and principles. Paul wants to go through and make sure these churches are doctrinally pure, and therefore gathered around those truths.
Third, Paul wants to get to Rome. He has a deep desire to come to Rome. In Romans chapter 15, he says, "For this reason I have been hindered in coming to you," and he began that letter by saying, "I long to see you." For a good part of his Christian life, Paul has carried in his heart this desire to evangelize Rome.
Paul's Purpose in Jerusalem
Paul understands the strategic importance of this city, and he wants to get there. He wants to go to Jerusalem to provide some assistance to the hurting church there. When Paul talks about getting to Jerusalem, he is talking about getting there not just to see old friends, but to be part of a team that will alleviate the physical pain. The Jerusalem church is famine-stricken, and the reasons are probably evident to us.
Here is what happens. When a Jew comes to Christ, he or she loses their family. They are ostracized by the area, and obviously their business is in trouble. When you put all of those things together, you see the tension that comes into that church. Paul writes ahead to the churches in Macedonia and says, "I am coming that way, and part of the reason I am coming is to take up a collection, because I want to take those goods back down to Jerusalem."
Faith and Meeting Physical Needs
Here is a principle. James asks this profound question in James chapter 2, verses 15 and 16: "If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, go in peace and be warm and be filled, and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?" What James is talking about is the difference that faith ought to make in our life.
He says you come in contact with a brother or a sister, and you do not need to just give them a tract. You do not need to just share with them a Bible verse. You do not need to just talk about doctrine. We know those things are important, and we argue and talk about them and emphasize them week after week. But James says there is a deeper connection here — a connection between your heart and theirs.
They are a brother and a sister, and if they have a legitimate need and you have the means to meet that need, you ought to be about meeting the needs of the hurting people around you. There should be in our life a compassion, a recognition that if God has blessed us in many ways — including financial and physical well-being and some level of prosperity — we have an obligation and a privilege to share that with others. We have a responsibility to meet the physical needs of the people in the body of Christ around us, and I would say in the community at large, and we need to be about that.
The Riot Begins: Demetrius and the Silversmiths
With all this in mind, Paul is ready to go. Verse 23: "...about this time there arose no small disturbance concerning the way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines to Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen, and these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades."
Here is what is happening. Demetrius is president of the silversmith union. Part of what is going on in their trade is that they would make statues, shrines, and paraphernalia used in the worship of Artemis. He comes to his fellow craftsmen and reminds them that their livelihood is at stake. Artemis — that is the Greek name; the Roman name is Diana — was worshipped at no fewer than 33 shrines across the Roman Empire. But the largest and most significant one was there in Ephesus. It was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
Annually, for a month in the spring, the city held a festival. People from all over the Roman Empire — tourists, if you will — would come. To give you something you can get your arms around, it would be like having Mardi Gras for thirty days. In the midst of this enormous influx of people and commerce, Demetrius gathers the craftsmen and begins to speak to them.
The Economic Threat of the Gospel
Verse 25: "Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business." When these tourists came, it was like being in retail. If you are in retail, you know that the lion's share of your income happens in November and December. If you are a silversmith making shrines to Artemis, you know that the lion's share of your business happens at festival. And there is a problem.
Verse 26: "You see in here that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that the gods made with hands are no gods at all." Demetrius is saying that this is starting to hit them in their pocketbook, and it is spreading all through Asia.
Thessalonica is a great picture of this. Paul writes to that city and says he constantly makes mention of them in prayer, remembering their work of faith, their labor of love, and their steadfastness of hope. Then he says to them in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, verse 9: "For you yourself, remembering how you turned to God from idols to serve a living God."
Here is what is happening. Paul is successful in his ministry. As the Holy Spirit is using Paul, He is opening up the eyes and hearts and minds of the men, women, and students in Ephesus. As they understand the gospel, they turn. That is repentance.
The Silversmiths' Grievance
Repentance means to turn. If I turn my hand from you, I by definition turn it to something else. As the gospel is preached, Paul finds people who are turning from false worship and turning to the living God. All of a sudden, the demand for silver statues goes down. The president of the union says, "We have a problem here. This religion is starting to affect us. People are not buying statues the way they used to."
Now, he cannot just appeal to greed. So in verse 27, he says, "Not only is there danger that this trade of ours might fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be disregarded as worthless, and that she, whom all of Asia and the world worship, should even be dethroned from her magnificence." Forget us — what about our poor goddess? What is going to happen to her? You can see his pure motives, because he goes for the cash first, and then dresses it up as a noble concern for religion.
There were thirty-three shrines to Diana, to Artemis, spread throughout the Roman Empire. He says that if they are not careful, she is going to be dethroned. Today, there is not one person on the planet who worships this false goddess. He was right — he sensed exactly what was happening. He appeals first to the selfishness of his audience, and then to some vague religious sentiment they might use as an excuse for their response.
The Crowd Erupts
Look at verse 28. When they heard this, three things happened. They were filled with rage. They began crying out, saying, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians." The city was filled with confusion. And then they rushed with one accord into the theater. They are angry, they are confused, but they are going to move — they are going to do something.
They drag with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia. When Paul wanted to go into the assembly, his disciples would not let him go. Verse 31 tells us that some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into the theater.
Now they are inside this theater, and it is worth pausing to understand what that means. This is not simply a small performance venue. This theater has been excavated and you can visit it today. It seated approximately 25,000 people and served as the town hall for this incredible city. So imagine 25,000 people filled with rage, confused, but determined to act.
Verse 32 describes the scene perfectly: "Some were shouting one thing, some were shouting another, and the assembly was in confusion." And then comes one of the great details — the majority did not even know what the cause was that they had come together for. They did not even know why they were there. Someone got caught up in it, and so did everyone else.
Paul Held Back
Dropped into the middle of this chaos are two men. Somehow someone from the crowd grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus and dragged them in. Paul hears about it and says he wants to be right in the middle of it. And they say no to him.
Garth Brooks sings about having friends in low places. Paul evidently had friends in high places. The Asiarchs were elected one per year as a liaison to Rome, each serving a one-year term before rotating out, so there were many of these men around at any given time. There is no indication that any of them had accepted the gospel or were followers of Christ at all. And yet in the midst of all of this, they come to Paul and say, "Don't get pulled into this. Use your head. Stay out of it."
Someone has used a phrase to describe a Christian that comes to mind here: a Christian is one who is completely fearless, continually cheerful, and constantly in trouble. That description fits these men. Paul is completely fearless. We know that when he writes to the Corinthians he tells them he came to them in fear and trembling, but I think part of that fear and trembling was the weight of being faithful to the Word. He may have felt some intimidation, but the man is fearless.
Twenty-five thousand people were pouring out of what had been a two- or three-week Mardi Gras celebration, ready to do anything to get at these Christians. They already had two of his companions, and Paul himself would have been the prize target. And he says that is all right — he will go in. We see this spirit all through his ministry, along with a genuine joyfulness. Remember Paul and Silas in Philippi, beaten and in prison at midnight, and there they are singing. People cannot make sense of that. It defies explanation.
Fearless, Cheerful, and in Trouble
Now listen carefully. Some people are so proud of their orthodoxy that they actually love being in trouble. They love stirring things up, love arguing, love the conflict. Paul's disposition was different — trouble simply came along. He was not trying to create it and was not looking for it. That is a far better description of what a Christian looks like.
The application is worth sitting with. Does that description fit your life? Are you fearless, or are you afraid to share the gospel? Are you intimidated? Is there joy in your life? Because if there is no joy, people will look at you and ask why they would ever want what you have. And yes, there is trouble — there is a confrontation that takes place as you live this out. Paul wanted to be at the heart of it, and in this moment he could not be. They told him not to go, and he listened.
The Asiarchs — the noblemen, the wealthy and prominent people of the day — kept him away. Verse 33 picks up the scene from there, as some of the crowd concluded...
Alexander and the Mob
It was Alexander whom the Jews had put forward. They were trying to get at the person causing all of this, and they thought it was Alexander. Having motioned with his hand, Alexander intended to make a defense. But when they recognized he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from all of them, and they shouted for about two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians."
We need to make sure we understand what is happening here. The Greeks made little or no distinction between the Jews and the Christians — two versions, same song. The Jews could look around and see that this situation had the possibility of overflowing into real persecution for the church, and they wanted to draw a clear line of demarcation between themselves and the Christians. They did not want to get swept away in this thing. So they put forth this poor man Alexander.
We do not know for certain, but it may well be the same Alexander that Paul warns Timothy about in 1 Timothy 1:20. Paul writes, "Beware of Alexander the coppersmith, that he has done me great danger." Whether it is the same man or not, this Alexander steps before some 25,000 people, raises his hands, and prepares to speak logically to the crowd. They were not ready to listen. They were ready to act.
Four Elements of Mob Psychology
There are four elements visible here, and you see them in every example of mob psychology. The first is anger. Remember when Stephen spoke to the Jews in Acts chapter 7? Scripture says they were cut to the quick and began gnashing their teeth at him. When Paul was in Philippi, they inflicted blows on him and dragged him into prison. Where the gospel is preached especially, but in any mob, there is great anger.
The second element is confusion. Who said what? Who did what? Nobody knows. One side is chanting one thing, someone else is chanting another, but the one thing everyone agrees on is that they are not going to listen to anybody. For two hours they chant, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians" — two hours is a long time — and now they are ready to act.
The Town Clerk Steps Forward
In the middle of all this steps our hero: the town clerk. Verse 35 tells us that after quieting the multitude, the town clerk — the mayor, effectively — begins to speak. He has four points to his message.
Here is the first: "Men of Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, and of the image which fell down from heaven?" Most believe there was a meteorite, and that a portion of it was used either to construct the specific statue of Artemis or to build part of the shrine. In any case, his opening point is simply this: our city is committed to guarding the temple of Artemis, and that fact is beyond dispute.
Because that fact is undeniable — verse 36 makes this connection — he draws a logical conclusion: you ought to keep yourself calm and do nothing rash. The argument is almost like a tennis ball rolling gently down a slope. Since no one can challenge the city's devotion to Artemis, there is no need for panic or rash action.
The Mayor's Four Points
His second point is that Gaius and Aristarchus are innocent. He says in verse 37, "You brought these men here, and they are neither robbers of the temple nor blasphemers of the goddess." As the civil authority, he declares plainly: these men have done nothing wrong.
His third point is that there is a proper legal process available. Verse 38 states, "If Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against these men, the courts are in session and the proconsuls are available, let them bring charges against one another. But if you want to go beyond this, it should be settled in a lawful assembly." The Romans were great champions of due process and law, and the mayor reminds the crowd of exactly that. You dragged these men in here, he says, and they are not guilty. If you want to pursue this, take them to court — the courts are in session. Get a referendum. Put it on the ballot. There is a legal way to dispose of this matter, and this is not it.
His fourth and final point is the most personally motivating from the mayor's perspective: Rome will not stand for this. This is likely his key motivation — self-preservation. Rome was tolerant of many things, but it would not tolerate civil disobedience for a moment. If there is an uprising, Rome will come in and put it down, and the crowd would not like how they handled it. Verse 40 puts it plainly: "We are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today's affair, since there is no real cause for it, and in this connection we shall not be able to account for this disorderly gathering."
Paul Regrouped the Disciples
Coming to their senses, the crowd dispersed. Verse 41 tells us that after he had said this, he dismissed them and they left.
Then we come to one more verse — Acts chapter 20, verse 1. There is a chapter break there, but there really should not be, because this verse belongs with the story. "After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and when he had exhorted them and taken his leave from them, he departed to go to Macedonia." Paul gathered all the believers together and regrouped. To me, this is a mark of a great leader. He knew they had been through a traumatic experience.
Just how traumatic was it? Paul writes to the church at Corinth, and I believe he has this very incident in mind. In 2 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 8, he says, "For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren" — so he is telling the church in Corinth about this incident — "of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively beyond..."
Trusting God in the Midst of Danger
"Our strength so that we despaired even for life. Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves in order that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises us." Paul says we were excessively burdened. This thing was out of hand. It well could have been a death sentence for us. We understood that in and of ourselves there was nothing we could do.
Notice this phrase: he had the sentence of death within themselves in order that they should not trust in themselves but in God who raises the dead. Everything that comes into your life is either caused by or allowed by God. Paul understood these circumstances were very dangerous. He understood that his life and the lives of many of the Christians could have been taken at that moment, but he also understood that God let it happen this way.
Why? So that they would not rely on themselves but on Him. Sometimes we are so self-sufficient that all we look at, all we think about, and all our focus goes on ourselves. Paul says that was not his concern at all. He was weak so that God would be strong. His own wisdom was not persuasive — the wisdom of man is foolishness to God. Paul understood that distinction.
Paul writes to them, and then in a short period of time he goes to be with them. So what is the application for us?
What Caused the Success of the Gospel at Ephesus?
In studying this passage over the last three weeks, I came across a question posed by John MacArthur in his commentary: what caused the success of the gospel at Ephesus? That is where I want to spend the next ten minutes. Why was the gospel successfully preached in Ephesus? And this is the practical takeaway for us.
It is Sunday morning, and there are a lot of other places you could be and a lot of other things you could be doing. The majority of you are here voluntarily, and I think you are also at least somewhat serious about your faith, or you would not be here. In fact, some of you are even jealous of other Christians. You see God working in great ways in their lives, and you find yourself wondering why that is not happening in your life. You want that? You want a life that could be called successful, at least as far as the gospel is concerned? There are three things we can identify here.
First: The Relentless Laboring of Paul
The success of the gospel in Ephesus can be traced, at least in part, to the relentless laboring of Paul. The question for us is: are we that committed to the gospel? Sometimes we fall into thinking we need large numbers and a popular movement to make an impact. There are two and a half to three million people in this valley, and we might think we need hundreds of thousands to affect them. That is not the case.
On a typical Sunday across our five services, we have around four thousand people, including children. We have enough firepower in this room that if we are committed to what God truly wants to do, He can use us to turn this valley not upside down, but right side up. We do not need more people. What we need are people who are committed to the cause and committed to Christ.
Second: The Church Was Purged
The second thing we observed — and we saw this last week — is that the church was purged. When miraculous signs took place, believers came forward and began confessing their sin and giving up their evil practices. This matters deeply for evangelism: you will never be used successfully to share the gospel if sin still holds a place in your life.
Our mission in evangelism is twofold. You must first make the invisible God visible, and then you must speak the truth boldly. These two things are inseparable. You cannot go around speaking the truth boldly if you have not first made the invisible God visible.
There are a couple of men in this city in the real estate business, and every time I hear their names I also hear people say, "If that is what Christianity is all about, I want no part of it." They have let the world know they are Christians. They have large Bibles on their credenzas. They have done all sorts of things to signal Christian belief. They have spoken the truth boldly, but they have not made the invisible God visible. That is hypocrisy, and it does real damage.
On the other side, there are people who say their strategy is simply to live it out and let their little light shine. Here is the problem with that approach. Someone may eventually come to you and say, "There is something different about you. I have been watching you at work, and there is something unique about you." At that moment you have to say it — Jesus. You have to say His name. No one has ever been won to Christ through a wordless sermon alone.
People will watch you pull up with eight kids, walk into church, and walk back out, and they will think you are Mormons. They will have no idea you are Christians. You have to say to them, "My life has changed because God changed it." You must speak it plainly.
Third: They Used Proper Means
The last thing is this: they used proper means. Consider what Paul did not do. He did not go downtown and organize a petition or lobby city hall. He did not picket the silversmiths' union or organize a counter-demonstration.
Changed Lives Change Lives
He did not try to get popular. He preached and lived the message and let the power of a changed life confront others. That is all he did. That is all you have to do. That is an unbeatable package.
Last Thursday night was the end of the Getting Plugged In class for October. The last session of the three is with me, and it is my time to talk to the people who have been through the class and, most importantly, to listen to them — probably an hour and twenty minutes or so, going around the room. I wish you could have heard this class. One of the questions asked is, "Why are you at East Valley Bible Church?" If I heard it once, I heard it ten times: "Because of your doctrinal integrity and because you speak the truth boldly at this church." By that, I do not just mean me. I mean in student ministries, in C2, with kids, in small groups — everywhere.
Right now the church at large is facing almost a crisis trying to find the gimmick. What is the hook? How do we get people in, and how do we keep them in? I said to Neil on Friday — and I know this may sound arrogant, I hope it does not — I wish we could take a copy of that session and mail it to every church leader, every pastor, and every elder in the country. Because those people in that room would have given them great freedom. They would have heard: we do not need a program. All we have to do is teach.
That is what Paul is doing in Ephesus. He is not doing anything extraordinary. Nothing can stop you if you are totally committed to Him, if your life has been changed and is free of sin, and if you speak the truth boldly and preach and live the gospel. Nothing is going to stop you. This all started with Paul and it affected not just Ephesus, but all of Asia.
Standing in Awe of What God Does
Let me read to you the words of the last song you sang this morning. Here is what you sang: *"I stand in awe, so amazed, totally changed by Your presence forever. Every time I look into Your eyes, I see a glimpse of what I always wanted to be. Let me be changed. Let me be changed in Your presence."* Men and women, that is the ticket right there. It is the title of our evangelism teaching here at the church: changed lives change lives.
Do you want to see your spiritual life make a difference? Do you want to see people come to Christ in your office or on your campus? I know that in this service in particular we have so many students. If you are not making a difference on your campus, here is why: you are not committed to Christ, you have sin in your life, or you are using some artificial means of communicating the gospel. It is as simple as that. If you are not seeing God use you in a powerful way in your workplace, it is because you are not totally committed to Christ, you have sin in your life, or you are relying on some artificial means.
The Danger of Worshiping the Plan
Here is what we do in business. We go out, we study, we do a feasibility study, we analyze it, we get the demographics, we come together, and we develop a strategic plan. Then we begin to implement it, we get just the right people, we execute, we evaluate, and we execute again. And at the end of the day, when it works, who gets the praise and glory? The plan — not the God who allowed it to happen. We take those same strategic thought processes and bring them into the church, and we end up worshiping the plan.
I am not against a strategic plan — I am not a big fan of one, but I am not against it. The problem is that when it comes time for evangelism or reaching the community, we start orchestrating everything. We think: here we are, the island is right there — how are we going to reach it? Here is an idea. Why do not the people who attend East Valley Bible Church and live in those neighborhoods simply let their light shine with their neighbors? Their neighbors are going to say, "There is something different about you." And they will say, "Jesus." And their neighbor will say, "I would like to know more." And they will say, "Why do not you come to church with me?" There is a plan.
The problem with that plan is that it is too easy. We want to orchestrate everything so that we get the glory. But if your life is changed — listen to those words: *"Every time I look into Your eyes, I get a glimpse of what I always wanted to be. Let me be changed"* — if you are changed and you proclaim that truth with your whole life, your Christian life will be so fruitful you will truly stand in awe. It will blow you away what God will do. He will do extraordinary things through an ordinary person like you.
Closing Prayer
Let me invite you to make sure you are here next Sunday. It is an important Sunday for us — important for you to really understand and know our roots at East Valley Bible Church and to get a sense of where we are going in this next year.
Father, we pray that You would make us men and women committed to Christ, that our lives would be purged of sin, and that we would use simple spiritual truths to reach people. Father, we pray for the students who are on their way to discipleship — that this morning, after You feed them physically, You would feed them spiritually and teach them truth.
God, especially this morning, I thank You for Aaron and the way You have worked in his life. That moment in December — not because he suddenly got smart or figured it out on his own, but that moment when You opened his eyes and opened his heart — You allowed us to see him, and he sees You and understands who You are. And God, by far the more exciting point for us is that everybody on this campus sees the difference. We do not hear his name without hearing someone say he is on fire for the Lord. God, thank You.