The real issue
by Maria Rudolph
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The assembly was in confusion: some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there (Acts 19:32).
Read Acts 19:21–41
Can you think of any big issues we are currently facing in our church? Any big problems we are facing in society? How do these issues get handled? Are you involved in any of them yourself? How do you see other people getting involved?
There have been issues and conflicts as long as there have been humans, ranging from mundane worldly matters to complex spiritual ones. The Book of Acts gives us a taste of issues among the new pastors and teachers and what the new Way (as the Christian faith became known) meant for people.
Sometimes Jews and Christians clashed. There were wrong teachings within the new churches themselves. Christians clashed with the Gentile faiths around them. On top of that, new ways of living promoted by biblical principles clashed with the perceptions of prevailing social norms.
And, sometimes, someone simply got upset because the Christians disturbed their equilibrium. Things had been a certain way for so long. Why should they have to change now?
A silversmith in Ephesus got upset that he was losing contracts: More Christians meant less need for his silver altars to the Greek goddess Artemis. Instead of addressing it using the proper process, he stirred up his silversmith mates, too, and then turned his economic problem into a religious one by declaring, ‘The goddess will be robbed of her divine majesty’ (Acts 19:27)!
This chipped at the foundations of many people’s faith, and they joined his protests without truly grasping what was going on. Once a proper riot started, some troublemakers simply joined in for the sake of fighting. Although Paul was wisely held back by his disciples, he was willing to face that wild crowd to take responsibility for the actions seemingly caused by the new church in Ephesus.
Instead of getting swept up in the commotion, the town clerk of Ephesus showed wise leadership by determining and dealing with the root cause of the riot: a silversmith upset with losing contracts, who was promptly advised to quit wreaking havoc and follow proper processes with his complaint.
This might be a good time to assess potential battles caused by issues in our church or society: What is the root cause? Am I following proper processes? How am I going about the battle I am involved in? If I am defending the Christian faith, do I conduct myself as one full of the fruit of the Spirit?
Dear God, grant me bravery and zeal like St Paul to stand up for my church and grant me wisdom like Ephesus’ town clerk to understand the core issues of matters. Grant me and all people of our church and society discernment and insight to find solutions for the issues facing us at this time. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Maria loves serving God through the LCANZ and currently does this at St John’s Perth as a pastoral associate and volunteers at Concordia Duncraig in Western Australia. She enjoys being part of a Way Forward Working Group and tackling current theological issues on the Commission on Theology and Inter-Church Relations. Her three kids and pastor husband keep her very happy and busy.
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