Call to Gather, Pray and Worship God
2 John 3
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.
What does it mean for grace, mercy and peace to be with you, each founded in truth and love? This blessing is actually a statement – not a wish or a hope – but a statement of truth for those in Christ. Sometimes the benefit of blessings elude us simply because we don’t recognize them as already given. Take time to recognize these blessings.
Proverbs for the Week
Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.
Paul stays in Ephesus: Acts 19:1-10
Ephesus is a city in the region of Asia Minor (now Turkey) and likely played a major role in Paul’s life. He visited more than once and spent about three years with the Ephesians during the stint that involves Acts 19. Later Paul asked elders from the city to visit him in a town nearly fifty miles away. This indicates a deep relationship between them, one further strengthened through Paul’s letter to encourage them in the faith. Paul had likely done exactly what Immersion’s theme describes: Growing together in the faith. Like the Ephesians, Paul needed to keep growing spiritually. we all do.
As for our story, it starts with an intriguing baptism experience and then moves into the Jewish synagogue. Receiving poor treatment there, Paul moves to a local hall of philosophy and shares God’s Word to both Jews and Gentiles over the next two years. Ephesus catches on fire spiritually. Though initially zealous for the Lord, by the time of Apostle John’s Revelation visions*, Ephesus has slipped and is chastised by Jesus for forsaking her first love, brought to them originally by Paul. (*See Revelation 2:1-7)
Acts 19:1-10
Paul in Ephesus
1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”
“John’s baptism,” they replied.
4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.
Prayer
Father God, it’s good to dive deeper into the life of the Apostle Paul. He seemed deeply connected to the Christians of Ephesus. Let this serve as a reminder in my life to value Christian friendships and take time to invest in such opportunities. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.