“MIRACLES AND RIOTING”
Season: Book of Acts
Episode 27: “Miracles and Rioting”
Today’s Bible Bite: Acts 19
Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM3mOEhzWWA (Cartoonworks – miracles and riots)
“God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles.” (Acts 19:11, NLT)
Paul stayed in Ephesus for almost two years. For the first three months he tried to convince the Jewish believers in the synagogue about Jesus, and while some believed, others began mistreating the new believers, so Paul decided to find a new place for the believers to meet and worship God.
God helped Paul do some incredible miracles while he was at Ephesus. Even cloths that had touched Paul could be taken to sick people to heal them; if his shadow crossed someone, they too could be healed. Sons of a leading priest, Sceva, thought they could just say Paul’s name and they would be able to perform miracles. They tried to heal a man who was possessed by a demon and instead they got beat up by that same man.
Paul was having such a successful time telling people about Jesus that many were rejecting their belief in other things. A number of people who practiced sorcery, burnt their books. And the businesses that sold statues of the goddess Artemis were losing money. One of the statue makers wasn’t happy about this and encouraged others to riot. Even during all of this resistance, the good news spread about Jesus far and wide, all because Paul trusted God to help him.
Think about it...
• When Paul first arrived in Ephesus he tried to teach the Jews about Jesus. How did they respond?
• He then began teaching in the lecture hall of Tyrannus and now everyone could learn about Jesus. What did people do who believed Paul?
• God gave Paul some very unique gifts. Even when Paul wasn’t near a sick person, they could be healed. How?
• Demetrius and the other silversmiths became very angry with Paul and started a riot to try and shut him down. Why?
Prayer: Thank you, God, for Paul’s example of bravery and tirelessness. He shows us how committed we should be to sharing the good news about Jesus too. Help me to be like Paul.