Love Has No Boundaries

(Read Acts 19 – 20)

When I began writing this devotional, I had a different theme and headline picked out. I had mapped out a somewhat different take on these two pivotal chapters in Luke’s Book of Acts. God, as always, has the last word. Proverbs 3:5 says, “lean not on your own understanding,” and boy that’s the truth.

Paul, despite all his flaws and his shady, violent history, was a devoted, passionate teacher of the Gospel. As a devout Jewish Pharisee he knew God’s word, but as a true believer of Jesus, he lived God’s word. The community in Ephesus meant a great deal to Paul and likewise to them. His earnest teaching came from the heart of his mission, his devotion to his Savior and nothing else.

Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
Acts 19:13-16

Paul had gone back to Ephesus, the richest city in the richest region of the Roman Empire. It was a cosmopolitan and multi-ethnic community, which presented challenges and rewards for a growing Christian church. There was a strong financial backbone to support the needs of a blossoming congregation and a mixed demographic to build a balanced church community. But there was also pretentious wealth, loyalty, and pride from long-held religious traditions, and hundreds of secular gods that were perceived equal to Paul’s one true God.

The people of Ephesus were openly impressed with Paul’s sway. They were equally impressed that Paul had the ability to heal. It’s funny to me that the same people who chastised Paul for preaching his Jesus-story would use his name and even Christ’s name to try and heal the sick. As we see in the passage above, that didn’t go too well. If you’re not a believer and you have no relationship with God but you’re using His name while claiming to help people, then you are in serious trouble. He might not mind you using His name, but there’s no doubt He minds when you’re using His name for your own benefit and glory. That’s not cool. Mocking God is bad. Conning people in God’s name is worse.

It can be argued that the seven sons of Sceva didn’t have the right to use the name of Jesus, but there are many self-proclaimed Christians who in reality, have no personal relationship with Jesus Christ either. They know the Jesus their pastor preaches about or the Jesus their parents or spouse believe in rather than their own Savior Jesus.

About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.
Acts 19:23-27

Ephesus had the world’s largest temple, dedicated to the god Artemis, one of the most widely adored of the Ancient Greek deities. Intense spiritual worship was focused on this central icon. There was a chasm of love Paul dealt with in Ephesus. Love for an idol or love for a Savior.

“gods made with hands are not gods.”
This quote blew me away when I re-read this last week. I could picture this quote today as a slogan pasted on buses and billboards, but it would be ripped down before it was dry. People love idols. It would be offensive to people, claiming human hands can create godly things.

We obsess over things and can’t enjoy them because we depend on them. Money, drugs, lust, greed, envy, you name it, you’re describing idols. Idols need to be protected, they demand sacrifices, and they are psychological as well as demonic forces. Simply put, idols are anything that promise security and joy apart from God.

I say regularly, “I love pizza.” Do I mean it, of course not. Do I crave it like something I could love? Hmmmmm, maybe sometimes. We “love” everything. But what was Paul trying to sell to the Ephesians? Paul was selling a greater, different kind of love. He was teaching the people of Ephesus about love that transcends location, distance, race, status, and time. As opposed to needy, thirsty idols like the goddess Artemis, Paul’s true God alone gives life. No one needs to protect God, He protects us.

Soon the whole city was in an uproar.
Acts 19:29

The Ephesians rioted. Truth hurts. They did not like being faced with the weakness of their loyalties. There was money in their idol making and idol worship. For the non-believing people of Ephesus, this was a threat to their way of live, both emotionally and financially. On the other side, Paul’s preaching was the word of God come to life for Jesus followers.

Paul emphasized that in time Jesus will praise Ephesus for their faith and wisdom in the face of deception (idols). He taught that Jesus and the Christian community was best served by people who are humble and generous.

Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!”
Acts 20:9-10

It had been about two-and-a-half years since Paul’s last visit to Ephesus. Based on the mission that lay in front of him, Paul knew he might never see these people again. He preached for about six hours! Before you go too far down the road of dull, long-winded Pastors, ask yourself this one question: why was this story part of Acts? Did Luke want his contemporaries to know what a thorough bore Paul was? Did Luke write this account to protect Eutychus for falling asleep at the wheel? I think we should look deeper.

There were many meanings for the word “sleep” in the ancient greek. One referred to death, one referred to physical sleeping, one referred to spiritual sleep, and one referred to a hypnotic kind of sleep. Perhaps this was a warning for readers to recognize and beware of spiritual slumber. Maybe it was a way of encouraging readers to learn from Eutychus’ mistake. Could it also have been a red flag to watch out for spiritual casualness?

From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
Acts 20:17-21

From his own writings and the writings of others, we have gained so much spiritual wealth from Paul. He gave Jesus’ words more magnitude and clarity. He described love so perfectly that his account is still used in a majority of weddings 2,000 years later. Paul also taught how churches and church leaders should behave. He demonstrated that leaders should be more concerned about what they can give their flock rather than what their flock can give them.

Paul pointed to church leaders and to the church body, when he detailed two priorities; to watch and warn. Watch to make sure you maintain the fire of Christ in your life and warn when Christian communities aren’t living up to Jesus’ words. Repentance isn’t a catchy buzzword, it is the only solution to spiritual wandering or laziness.

“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
Acts 20:22-24

The disciple who instructed Ephesus on the truths of Christ, who had risked his life, and loved them with all his heart, was going to leave and they would never see him again. Paul loved the Church and the Church loved him back.

John MacArthur once said, “I believe that for the Christian, there is the promise that when God calls you, He will not only give you the spiritual gifts, He will not only open the doors, He will not only make the ministry a possibility, but He will give you the time to finish it. And I think that’s borne out here in the testimony of the apostle Paul.”

While Paul didn’t have it easy, Paul had everything he needed to achieve God’s plan. Despite serious threats to derail or eliminate him, Paul persevered. He illustrated what love truly looks like. Love doesn’t come from personal glory. It does not come in the form of a pagan idol and love doesn’t come from lukewarm commitment. Real, pure, searing love can only come from an eternal God who needs no sacrifice from us. He offered his own. His love knows no bounds.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Key Applications

1. Do you know people who put on a good face when pressed? People who talk about their strong faith and good deeds during spiritual discussions? Have you done this yourself? I have and most of the time, it just slipped out unintentionally. Now, I work daily on my authenticity. I never tell someone I’m praying for them, if I haven’t already. Consider Jesus on the cross the next time you puff yourself up in front of others. Did He die so that we could claim His glory? Be real with people. Be comfortable with yourself. Be authentic.
2. Have you ever nodded off during a sermon? I must confess that I’ve come very close a few times. It’s not pretty either. The bigger question is if we’ve become asleep in our faith. Is our fire for Christ on autopilot? Check yourself if you’re feeling spiritually casual. If you’re not listening, not empathetic, not being there for people who need you. Pray to God for strength and clarity. The fire will reignite since His grace has already entered your heart.
3. Read Chapters 19 and 20 of Acts and focus on the love Paul’s church community had for him and his love for them. Do you feel this from your church community? Do you show them the same? As Paul wrote in Corinthians, love is not about keeping score, or being perfectly equal. If you’re struggling with your church, take inventory if you’re showing them love. If you’re struggling in a personal relationship, is it based on love or convenience? Show love and watch for miracles.

Where else in your life can you live out the teachings of Christ? Look for next week’s Devotion.