When you think of a riot, what do you think of?  Mobs of people in a third world country, toppling governments?  Crowds of hungry people rushing a food shipment?  Maybe what is about to happen if our government can’t get our healthcare figured out? Or maybe the poorly behaved sports fans of a neighboring university who burn cars and couches whether they win or lose?

Acts 19:23-41 reads…

23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 25 He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. 26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

28 When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. 30 Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him.31 Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

32 The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. 33 The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. 34 But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

35 The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Fellow Ephesians, doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? 36 Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. 37 You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. 38 If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls.They can press charges. 39 If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. 40 As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.” 41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

 There is a ton to unpack in this passage of Scripture, but for now we’re just going to highlight a few things:

• We see in the verses just before our passage that “the Word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.” (vs. 20)  Many people in the city of Ephesus were renouncing their pagan ways and following The Way…and they weren’t just talking the talk, they were walking the walk.  Specifically, converts to Christianity had just burned millions of dollars worth of sorcery scrolls and spells.
• The imperial cult of Artemis defined Ephesian culture….nothing rivaled it in power and influence.  Worship of Artemis drove both the culture and the economy of Ephesus. The temple of Artemis was one of the seven wonders of the world, five times the size of the Pantheon, and the destination of a host of ardent pilgrims.  This cult was their world, their entire culture, their very way of life.  And to Demetrius, an influential member of the craftsman community that profited off of the cult, the gospel was a threat.  A threat to his pocketbook, a threat to his position and a threat to his national pride and religious fervor.  Paul’s preaching of the gospel exposed the nothingness of the Artemis cult.
• The culture of Christ is always at odds with the culture of the world.   As commentator William Larken says, “Any Christianity worth its salt will be a challenge to the pocketbook, the flag, and the shrine.”  When cultures collide, riots happen.  The goal of the world’s culture is to shout louder than the gospel.  The goal of Christ’s culture is to live louder than the world around us.  Are you living your life following Christ in such a way that disturbance is created?  I’m not talking about intentionally upsetting people or engaging them in a hostile way…I’m asking if people can see a difference in you?  Can they recognize that you’re a follower of The Way?

Take some time to reflect about what darkness around you your light can burn brighter in.  How can your life engage a culture that may be confused, misinformed and not even know what they are fighting about (vs. 32)?

Consider Paul’s posture in yielding to the counsel of disciples and high ranking officials and how God quieted the mob through a pagan city clerk.  What does that teach us about the unstoppable nature of the gospel and the influence of respectful counter-cultural Christian living?