When something's missing inside. no. 53, Acts.
- Christine DiGiacomo
- 1 minute ago
- 5 min read
podcast: https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/1e8bce05/when-somethings-missing-inside-no53-acts
It would be interesting to be God, don't you think?
Imagine having a view of all the beings He created--
humans, in particular, crafted in His very likeness...1
equipped with a creative mind,
a heart meant to love and be loved,
and a soul to be forever one with Him.
And imagine with me, that God looks down, and says,
'Do you see me? Why, look at the skies above!'
'Do you hear me, Child? Surely you have heard the power
 in a crashing wave, the sweet song of the bluebird?'
'And you have heard how I made a way for you to have
relationship with Me, right? Jesus...my very own Son...'
'And yet, you search about, thinking this or that thing will make you happy--
this job, that person will complete you. No, that desire is realized in relationship
with Me alone.'
Friend, God has had this all-encompassing view of mankind since the creation of the first human beings. Omniscient, he is. Hmmm...
I take you back now to the streets of ancient Ephesus, about 55 A.D., when the apostle Paul rolls into town and encounters a group of disciples, explaining to them the missing link in their faith--Jesus Christ, the once-for-all payment for their sin on the cross, and the empowering and equipping person of the Holy Spirit. Man, O man, to have heard his teaching on this, to have seen the looks on people's faces, the dawning realization that the Scriptures had been fulfilled--God had indeed sent the Messiah!
What next? First, a real time prayer for us today:
Heavenly Father,
Slow us down--order our minds for the next few minutes so that we can understand what happened in ancient Ephesus - what the Holy Spirit did through Paul, and what it has to do with us today. Show us your heart, and help us see what You want for our world, and for us as individuals. Show us what is missing in so many of our lives. Amen.
As was his bent, when Paul arrived in town, he made his way to the synagogue, where Luke writes, he "preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.
God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled." Acts 19.8-12
Stop. What happened here?
1 Paul preaches to the Jews first (in the synagogue)
2 Then Paul moves to another venue where all would feel welcome
3 For two years, he shared the Gospel, DAILY. Do the math, how many hours did
 Paul preach, meet with people, answer questions, overcome objections and discuss
 with those who were interested, the reasonableness and truth of Jesus Christ?
4 We see the effectiveness of Paul's commitment to live fully for Christ, to use
 the gifts he had been given, to fulfill the purpose for which he was created:
 the entire province of Asia,2 all people, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the Gospel!
And then, God. As Paul spoke out the truth, God authenticated the message by giving Paul the power to do the miraculous.
Hold up here a minute--Luke writes that >Paul's personal handkerchiefs/aprons were conduits for healing. Step a little closer. Paul's handkerchiefs? First, this is near and dear to my heart in a girlish way. My mother raised me to be a 'lady' and one thing every lady knows is that at all times she ought have a pretty hanky in her purse. So naturally, I keep a small, ironed stack of pretty hankies at the ready. Why? Because I'm a lady.
This was not that kind of hanky. Remember, in order to support himself, Paul was a tentmaker. Paul's handkerchief was around his neck to wipe the sweat from his brow; his apron was around his mid section for his tools. Huh, those items would have had Paul's 'smell' on them - but significantly - it was those items that God used to heal and banish evil spirits from those who came. Fascinating.
What a show of power by God! What an expression of the heart of God that all might come to know Him and be in relationship with Him! In these few verses here in Acts 19, Luke chronicles how God brought about a full-on revival, with Ephesus at the center--the truth about life through Jesus Christ spreading throughout Asia Minor, with many coming to repent and have faith in Him. This is the heart of God on display.
So, what? Those people responded to Paul's message because they realized that what he was talking about--life and meaning, true hope--is what was missing in their lives. Wonder of wonders, nothing has changed, 2000 years later. Several years ago, on a cross country flight during Covid, I fondly remember a conversation about faith with my seatmate. After a few back and forth's, the gentle Midwestern young man actually spoke these words to me, 'My soul has been starving to death!'3Â
If only all of us were that in touch with the lack in our lives--our souls, our longings for God.
Ephesus offered pagan religions, goddesses to worship and sorcery of all sorts, but no hope, truth, peace or joy for the soul. And today,
--people are on a mad search to find meaning,
--desperately looking for satisfaction and purpose,
--wanting answers to the big questions in life.
Where is Paul when we need him, for goodness' sake?!
Well, if you are looking and paying attention, if you are praying, you will see God at work, God on the move. For instance, I was impacted by last weekend's Super Bowl, but not for the reasons you might guess. Being a sports fan, I remember that not long ago our NFL players were 'taking a knee' during our National Anthem, which contains the line "in God is our trust", but now, so many of our National Football League players are bowing the knee instead. Quick clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO8Gkg0nHdY. College players alike are giving God the glory for their wins, speaking of the importance of their Christian faith in their lives--using their platforms and influence to speak of God. hmmmm... revival - starting on the football field?
There it is.
I am Paul. You are Paul. We are meant to look around, be aware, and be prepared to share what we have experienced of the living God. Because so many people are lost and searching, it is nothing short of a privilege to share the way and the truth of Jesus with those we encounter. Suit up... let's go!
Be a Part of the Move of God!
Christine
1 - Genesis 1.26-27
2 - Province of Asia: encompassed a large area including the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, among others. biblehub.com
3 - I will be flying this weekend--hours on the airplane and in airports--will you please pray for opportunities for meaningful, Jesus-honoring conversations?