Acts 19-Riots, Rage and Redemption
Acts 19 opens with Paul arriving in Ephesus while Apollos is ministering in Corinth. Right away, Paul meets a group of disciples faithful followers of John the Baptist who believed in the coming Messiah but hadn’t yet heard the full story.
Paul asks them a simple but life-changing question: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” (Acts 19:2). Their response is almost heartbreaking “We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
Many of them had likely left Palestine before Jesus’ ministry began. They knew John’s message of repentance but hadn’t yet encountered Jesus or the outpouring of the Spirit. So Paul gently explains the gospel, and once they learn that Jesus is the One John pointed to, they are baptized “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5). Immediately after, Paul lays hands on them and the Holy Spirit comes upon them, they speak in tongues and prophesy just like the believers at Pentecost.
What a beautiful reminder that God never leaves sincere seekers behind. When we respond to the truth we know, He always leads us into deeper truth.
The Word Spreads Across Asia
Paul spends about three years in Ephesus teaching, discipling and strengthening the believers (Acts 20:31). Acts tells us that during this time “all the residents of Asia” heard the word of the Lord (Acts 19:10). Paul preached in the major city but equipped others to carry the message outward. This is discipleship in action multiplication, not maintenance.
Even unusual miracles happened. People took handkerchiefs and aprons that Paul had touched and used them to help the sick (Acts 19:12). These items weren’t magical. They simply carried evidence of God’s power in Paul’s life.
But not everyone responded with faith. Some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried using the name of Jesus without actually knowing Him. The evil spirit replied, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15). Identity without intimacy has no authority.
Revival Awakens Repentance
As the gospel spread, people began confessing their sins and turning away from occult practices. Many brought their magic scrolls which were extremely valuable and publicly burned them (Acts 19:19). Their desire to honor Jesus outweighed the cost.
Sometimes breakthrough requires letting go of what once defined or bound us. For some, it was a scroll. For us, it may be a mindset, relationship, habit or identity that doesn’t serve who God is calling us to become.
A City in Uproar
Ephesus was home to the great temple of Artemis one of the wonders of the ancient world. Craftsmen made a living selling silver shrines of the goddess. So when people began turning to Christ, business began to dry up. Threatened in their wallets and pride, the craftsmen stirred up a riot shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (Acts 19:28).
The crowds dragged Paul’s companions into the massive Ephesian theater, a venue that held more than twenty thousand people. Yet even in this chaos, God placed people in the right positions. The Asiarchs, respected officials in the Roman imperial cult, warned Paul not to enter the arena (Acts 19:31). The town clerk eventually quieted the mob, reminding them that the courts were available to settle disputes properly and that rioting could bring consequences from Rome.
His words reveal something important the gospel was not guilty of disrupting public order. Even unbelievers could see that the movement of Jesus’ followers wasn’t lawless or reckless. It was the truth at work, confronting idols, systems and beliefs with quiet but steady power.
And here’s the lesson tucked in:
when people resist due process, it’s often because they know the truth will expose what they’re hiding.
Acts 19 shows us a city shaken not by noise or force but by the quiet, undeniable power of the Holy Spirit. Paul meets sincere seekers who only knew part of the story, and God faithfully completes what was missing. Revival begins with revelation, but it deepens through repentance—people willingly lay down what once bound them because Jesus has become worth more. And even as opposition rises, God places the right people in the right places to protect His work. The gospel doesn’t need chaos to make an impact. It transforms hearts, households and whole communities with truth, love and power. And just like in Ephesus, God is still calling women and men today to step into deeper truth, greater courage and unshakeable faith.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for meeting us right where we are, just as You met the disciples of John in Ephesus. Open our hearts to receive every part of Your truth and fill us again with Your Holy Spirit. Give us the courage to surrender anything that competes with Your voice in our lives. Help us walk boldly yet wisely in a world full of conflicting beliefs. Strengthen us to stand firm in holiness, humble obedience and spiritual authority rooted in intimacy with You. And just as You used Paul, Priscilla, Aquila and the believers in Ephesus, use us as vessels of revival in our homes, workplaces and communities. Let Your presence shift atmospheres and draw hearts to Jesus. Amen.