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Ephesus: God Uses C ircumstances

Acts 19:1-20

The Amphitheater

Main Street

Main Street

The Library

The Temple of Diana

God Uses Circumstances

God Uses Circumstances

1. God Uses Uncertainty

• God doesn’t condemn us for what we

don’t know

God Uses Circumstances

1. God Uses Uncertainty

• God doesn’t condemn us for what we

don’t know

2. God Uses Location

• God can do “exceedingly abundantly”

even when we don’t know!

God Uses Circumstances

3. God Uses The Supernatural

• God wants us to be confident, yet

circumspect about what we don’t know

God Uses Circumstances

3. God Uses The Supernatural

• God wants us to be confident, yet

circumspect about what we don’t know

4. God Uses Adverse Events

• God can be glorified at any time,

particularly when adversity is what

we know

Verses 1-7: God Uses Uncertainty

Verses 1-7: God Uses Uncertainty

• “Good” Ignorance

Verses 1-7: God Uses Uncertainty

• “Good” Ignorance • Regional – Acts 18:25-26

Verses 1-7: God Uses Uncertainty

• “Good” Ignorance • Regional – Acts 18:25-26

• John’s message – Luke 3:8, 16

Verses 1-7: God Uses Uncertainty

• “Good” Ignorance • Regional – Acts 18:25-26

• John’s message – Luke 3:8, 16

• Paul’s message

Verses 1-7: God Uses Uncertainty

• “Good” Ignorance • Regional – Acts 18:25-26

• John’s message – Luke 3:8, 16

• Paul’s message

• God’s message – Repentance,

Baptism, Forgiveness through Jesus,

the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)

Verses 1-7: God Uses Uncertainty

God doesn’t condemn us for what we

don’t know

Ephesians 1:15-21

Ephesians 1:15-21

• God Wants Us to Know:

Ephesians 1:15-21

• God Wants Us to Know: • Gifts to us

Ephesians 1:15-21

• God Wants Us to Know: • Gifts to us

• Knowledge for us

Ephesians 1:15-21

• God Wants Us to Know: • Gifts to us

• Knowledge for us

• Power toward us

8-10: God Uses Location

8-10: God Uses Location

• Paul:

8-10: God Uses Location

• Paul: • Bold: Acts 9:27, 29; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8;

26:26

8-10: God Uses Location

• Paul: • Bold: Acts 9:27, 29; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8;

26:26

• Rational: Acts 17:2, 17; 18:4, 19; 19:8;

20:7; 24:25

8-10: God Uses Location

• Paul: • Bold: Acts 9:27, 29; 13:46; 14:3; 19:8;

26:26

• Rational: Acts 17:2, 17; 18:4, 19; 19:8;

20:7; 24:25

• Diplomatic: 13:43; 14:9; 17:4; 18:4; 19:8,

26; 26:26; 28:23-24

8-10: God Uses Location

8-10: God Uses Location

• Asia is Reached with the Gospel

8-10: God Uses Location

• Asia is Reached with the Gospel • Previously: “Now when they had gone

through Phrygia and the region of

Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy

Spirit to preach the word in Asia” (Acts

16:6)

8-10: God Uses Location

• Asia is Reached with the Gospel • Previously: “Now when they had gone

through Phrygia and the region of

Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy

Spirit to preach the word in Asia” (Acts

16:6)

• Eventually: “John, to the seven

churches which are in Asia”(Rev. 1:4)

8-10: God Uses Location

God can do “exceedingly abundantly”

even when we don’t know!

11-16: God Uses the Supernatural

11-16: God Uses the Supernatural

• God’s Spirit

11-16: God Uses the Supernatural

• God’s Spirit • The Holy Spirit (verse 6)

11-16: God Uses the Supernatural

• God’s Spirit • The Holy Spirit (verse 6)

• Miracles (11-12)

• “Unusual” miracles for an unusual city

11-16: God Uses the Supernatural

• God’s Spirit • The Holy Spirit (verse 6)

• Miracles (11-12)

• “Unusual” miracles for an unusual city

• Evil Spirits

11-16: God Uses the Supernatural

• God’s Spirit • The Holy Spirit (verse 6)

• Miracles (11-12)

• “Unusual” miracles for an unusual city

• Evil Spirits • “Bad” Ignorance

11-16: God Uses the Supernatural

• God’s Spirit • The Holy Spirit (verse 6)

• Miracles (11-12)

• “Unusual” miracles for an unusual city

• Evil Spirits • “Bad” Ignorance • Self-assurance and presumption (13)

• Pain and Embarrassment (15-16)

Ephesians 6:10-12

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord

and in the power of His might. Put on the

whole armor of God, that you may be able

to stand against the wiles of the devil. For

we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,

but against principalities, against powers,

against the rulers of the darkness of this

age…”

11-16: God Uses the Supernatural

God wants us to be confident, yet

circumspect about what we don’t know

17-20: God Uses Adverse Events

17-20: God Uses Adverse Events

• The Sequence:

17-20: God Uses Adverse Events

• The Sequence: • Fear of God

17-20: God Uses Adverse Events

• The Sequence: • Fear of God

• Magnification of Jesus

17-20: God Uses Adverse Events

• The Sequence: • Fear of God

• Magnification of Jesus

• Belief in Jesus

17-20: God Uses Adverse Events

• The Sequence: • Fear of God

• Magnification of Jesus

• Belief in Jesus

• Proof of Jesus

17-20: God Uses Adverse Events

• The Sequence: • Fear of God

• Magnification of Jesus

• Belief in Jesus

• Proof of Jesus

• Spread of the Kingdom of Jesus

Ephesians 6:19-20

“…and for me, that utterance may be

given to me, that I may open my mouth

boldly to make known the mystery of the

gospel, for which I am an ambassador in

chains…”

17-20: God Uses Adverse Events

God can be glorified at any time,

particularly when adversity is what we

know