Revivals draw blessings, but they do not exist without problems and persecutions. During the years at St. James Church, Kenilworth in the Cape when God sent a revival, hundreds and hundreds of people were influenced towards holiness and Christian ministry, both fulltime and part time. Churches throughout the Cape Peninsula and Northern Suburbs were either stirred to preach the Gospel or new Churches were planted. The ripple effects even spread into other areas such as the then Boland, Eastern Cape and Natal. Yet, as God was at work growing His Kingdom through Frank Retief and St. James Church, so the enemy of God and mans’ soul was at work in the most subtle and unsuspecting ways. As examples …
(1) The neighborhood started to complain to the police about the noise that was made. You can imagine growing to a few hundred in the old building and then to a thousand-five hundred in the new building, how the music during the services “disturbed” some residents.
(2) The roads in the area are narrow. If cars park on the one side, only one car may pass going in either direction. Although the Church purchased property for a car park, some attendees parked in driveways, pavements and no parking areas, causing frustration with the residents who could not get into their garage or find a parking space when they returned from their outings, work or Church. These also complained to the police causing patrols in the area, which prevented parking as before. Although meetings between the Church and community were conducted, and the Church went to all sorts of lengths not to be a problem to the community, the devil used these incidents to his advantage.
Basically …. where revivals bring blessings to a Church and its immediate society, problems might arise due to the devil’s cunning. Please read:
Ac 19:20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. 21 After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.” 22 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer. 23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
1) The blessings. The words “in this way” indicate that it is through the beating up of the sons of Sceva by the evil spirit possessed man that blessings fell from heaven upon the work of Paul at Ephesus. This verse seems as though Luke is giving another progress report on Christian Missions.
(1) The Word of the Lord spread widely. The Word of the Lord often means “Gospel” as it does here. So, the words “spread widely” implies an external increase of the Gospel. This does not mean that the Gospel Message increased or grew bigger, it means the numbers influenced through the Gospel Message increased.
(2) The Word of the Lord grew in power. The Gospel “grew in power” is not that the Gospel itself grew in power because the Gospel is already sufficient and powerful:
Ro 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
The Gospel Message does not and never needs help or assistance to do its work. “Grew in power” would refer to the external increase of the Gospel in numbers. The Holy Spirit was at work doing the extraordinary … convincing and convicting souls of their need to come under the power of Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice at Calvary. Spiritual revival don’t just see God’s people seeking holiness and spiritual maturity, many souls are born into the Kingdom of God. As His people we ought to labor in prayer for true revivals across the planet. As the Church grew (likely after the two years Paul spent in Ephesus) Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, most likely to take the collection taken in Corinth for the saint in the “mother city” (See 1 Corinthians 16:1-9). On the way there he desired to do pastoral visitation to the Churches in Macedonia and Achaia. His desire was to visit Rome too. It seems his passion was to go to the main centers of the Roman Empire with the Gospel. He rightly needed to leave suitable pastoral oversight in Ephesus and did so by leaving Timothy and Erastus there, two of his pastoral assistants. Timothy we know well. He was a suitable pastor, preacher and evangelist, though Erastus is less known. Most commentators agree that the three times “Erastus” is mentioned in the Bible (Once by Luke in Acts 19, and by Paul in Romans 16 and 2 Timothy 4) refers to the same person.
(i)
Ro 16:23 Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings. Erastus, who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings.
The appointment to City Director of Public Works must have come after he was in Ephesus … that is, likely towards the later part of Paul’s ministry.
(ii)
2Ti 4:19 Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.
This passage refers to Erastus being in Corinth at some stage. Paul then remained in the Province of Asia for a while longer. Three thoughts arise here …
(a) Like a collection was made for the poor believers in Jerusalem, we in our day may well copy this model through sending gifts to poor Churches struggling to fulfil Gospel Ministry due to lack of financing.
(b) Whether it was Timothy and Erastus or Paul doing pastoral work then, we today need to ensure this is part of the Church we belong too. It is one thing to know the congregation in the Church. It is another matter to know them in their homes where they are more themselves.
(c) Like Erastus fulfilled an important position in government, we need to have such people in our Churches and on our leadership teams. Naturally they need to be converted. Their expertise will add much to the ministry of the Church in an area.
2) The problems.
Ac 19:23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
We don’t have time today to analyze the “great disturbance”. This will have to wait for tomorrow, but for now … as spiritual revivals bring blessings, so problems arise because the enemy of souls is unhappy with the losses he faces. We need to understand that the unconverted (and many “nominal Christian”) Christianized (but not Christian) become uneasy and uncomfortable when the Gospel makes advances all around them. The main reason is not that there is a Church nearby or that neighbors, friends and family members go to Church twice on a Sunday, attend Bible Study and even carry a Bible to Church. They can have all that … but … when the Gospel Message starts saving souls, changes lives, morals, ethics and behavior it exposes their “Christianization!” It ruffles their feathers. It pierces their consciences. It messes with their lifestyle. It is an intrusion to the peace they enjoyed. They will retaliate. They shall cause problems for the Church. Where we need to pray for spiritual revival, we need to be praying for spiritual wisdom to deal with society and the challenges and problems they cause for the Church of God during such times.
Our Father, you are great and glorious. Nothing happens in life until Your Sovereign will permits it to happen. Grant us Your Church and people grace to be prepared to deal with all onslaughts against us and Your Church. Amen.