And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all. 
8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. 
The Sons of Sceva
11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. 18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. 
A Riot at Ephesus
21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. 
 
23 About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. 24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. 25 These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. 26 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.” 
 
28 When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel. 30 But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. 31 And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. 32 Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 
 
35 And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? 36 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38 If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. 40 For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” 41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly. 
 
Meditation
The Word of God is the most powerful agent of transformation in the world. The potency of proclamation is found in the pleasure of God’s Spirit to use God’s Word for God’s purposes. God’s Spirit both illuminates God’s Word (1 Corinthians 2:14-16) and empowers God’s work through God’s Word (1 Thessalonians 1:5).

City transformation in Ephesus came through proclamation of God’s Word. Paul preached for two years (10) and the Word of God increased mightily (20). Paul’s daily proclamation was anchored in an authentic encounter with the Holy Spirit (1-7). Ephesus was a port city, a logistics hub for the region, so “all the residents of Asia” heard the Word of the Lord. Dark strongholds oppressing Ephesus resisted. The Word of God prevailed.
 
Paul’s message was rooted in OT prophets and Psalms- “gods made by hands are no gods at all” (26). The Spirit of God used the Word of God to change hearts, transform families, and alter economic and social demands.  Demons driving personal disorder and familial dysfunction were cast out (11-20). Witches burned their books. The community quit buying idols of Artemis, the goddess of fertility, and the idols manufacturers revolted with Demetrius’ leadership (21-41).
 
The Word of God and the Spirit of God can transform God’s world for God’s glory, beginning in your heart and home- from your neighborhood to the nations. The people of God must arm ourselves with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17), as we trust the Spirit’s leading to do God’s work for God’s glory.

Richly Dwelling
-What do you observe from today’s reading in regards to the emphasis on God’s word transforming people and places?
 
-Where do you look for personal, familial, and societal transformation? Do you believe the Word of God is used by the Spirit of God as His means to transform the world for the glory of God?
 
-Ask the Lord to wreck you with His Spirit and His Word. Pray for the Church to have an authentic Holy Spirit encounter and for families, neighborhoods, your city, and region to be transformed with the Word and Spirit of God. Do you believe God can bring this transformation? He has! And He will again.
 
Key Verse
20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. 

Then David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.” 2 So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal’s widow. 4 And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him. 
 
5 Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?” 6 So that day Achish gave him Ziklag. Therefore, Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months. 
 
8 Now David and his men went up and made raids against the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as far as Shur, to the land of Egypt. 9 And David would strike the land and would leave neither man nor woman alive, but would take away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the garments, and come back to Achish. 10 When Achish asked, “Where have you made a raid today?” David would say, “Against the Negeb of Judah,” or, “Against the Negeb of the Jerahmeelites,” or, “Against the Negeb of the Kenites.” 11 And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, “lest they should tell about us and say, ‘So David has done.’ ” Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines. 12 And Achish trusted David, thinking, “He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant.” 
 
 
Meditation
Christians rightly celebrate Jeremiah’s call to “seek the welfare” of where the Lord has positioned us (Jeremiah 29). We are “elect exiles” (1 Peter 1:1) sojourning in a world that is not (yet) our home. Yet while in exile, we still advance Jesus’ kingdom.
 
David’s sojourned into enemy territory for protection from Saul, “no longer within the borders of Israel” to “escape out of his hand” (1). David’s journey echoes God’s journey in exile through the Philistine capturing the ark (1 Samuel 4) and serves as a precursor to Jesus’s journey into exile for His protection from Herod’s hate (Matthew 2). 
 
With peace in exile, David advances God’s purposes. The king of the Philistines, Achish, gives David the city of Ziklag to possess without a battle, a city that remained under the rule of Judah’s kings (5-6). David plundered the Philistines by making raids against regions marked for destruction by Joshua (8, see Joshua 13:1-13), though David did not follow divine direction perfectly by allowing his men to take spoil. David’s deceit dug a deep hole that will prove to be tough to climb out of (chapters 29-30), but here we see David advancing Israel’s purposes even during exile in enemy territory.
 
Jesus entered the hands of the enemy to plunder Satan and take the Church as His possession. Jesus teaches, “the gates of hell will not prevail” against the advancement of His kingdom through the Church (Matthew 16:18). While in exile, we must seek the welfare of where God has positioned us as we possess and plunder enemy territory for the glory of King Jesus.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially in regards to David’s work in enemy territory?
 
-How does the work of Jesus who went into exile for us, to plunder the enemy by taking His people as His possession, fuel your faith?
 
-Where do you need to seek to advance the kingdom of Jesus, plundering the enemy, by seeking the welfare of the people and place where you have been positioned by God?
 
Key Verse
1 Then David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.”

Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. 5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. 6 So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. 
 
Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. 7 And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” 8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. 9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” 10 And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. 
 
11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, 12 she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. 13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, 14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. 15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.” 16 Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, 17 and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. 18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.” 
 
19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. 20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lordwas with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed. 
 
Meditation
Trusting God’s sovereign presence fills the reservoir of contentedness in our hearts and cascades contentedness throughout our character.
 
God’s sovereign presence is emphasized with the repetition of, “The Lord was with Joseph…” (2, 3, 21, 23). After being sold by his brothers, Joseph had been a servant in Egypt for years- and the Lord was with Joseph. After being framed by Potiphar’s wife, Joseph was put in prison- and the Lord was with Joseph. The Lord does not leave or forsake Joseph, and this sovereign presence strengthens Joseph’s security.  
 
Security in God’s sovereign presence fuels contentedness in Joseph’s soul. “Day after day” Joseph refused the sexual advances of one of the most powerful women in the world (10). God gave fruitfulness to Joseph’s work, in the palace and in prison, and Joseph saw himself as steward. Joseph refused Potiphar’s wife because “the master had put everything in his charge” except for her, refusing to dishonor Potiphar or sin against God. Joseph was content with limitations because he was secure in God’s sovereignty.
 
Paul proclaims, “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6) in the context of challenging the Church to not covet things of this world or crave money (1 Timothy 6). God is sovereign over our stuff! And contentedness looks like treasuring Christ’s presence in our hearts over and above the treasures of the world (Matthew 6:21).
 
Wherever you are, God has sovereignly has a purpose for putting you in that place: “Be content with what you have for God has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the connection between God’s sovereignty and Joseph’s contentedness?
 
-Are you content? If not, what does this reveal about your trust (or lack thereof) in God and His sovereignty? 
 
-How does the finished work of Jesus and His repeated promise to never leave or forsake you fuel your faith in God and His sovereignty? Where do you need to apply this truth? Be specific.
 
Key Verse
3 His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.

​To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 
2    O my God, in you I trust; 
let me not be put to shame; 
let not my enemies exult over me. 
3    Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; 
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. 
4    Make me to know your ways, O Lord; 
teach me your paths. 
5    Lead me in your truth and teach me, 
for you are the God of my salvation; 
for you I wait all the day long. 
6    Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, 
for they have been from of old. 
7    Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; 
according to your steadfast love remember me, 
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!
8    Good and upright is the Lord; 
therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 
9    He leads the humble in what is right, 
and teaches the humble his way. 
10    All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, 
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. 
11    For your name’s sake, O Lord, 
pardon my guilt, for it is great. 
12    Who is the man who fears the Lord? 
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. 
13    His soul shall abide in well-being, 
and his offspring shall inherit the land. 
14    The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, 
and he makes known to them his covenant. 
15    My eyes are ever toward the Lord, 
for he will pluck my feet out of the net. 
16    Turn to me and be gracious to me, 
for I am lonely and afflicted. 
17    The troubles of my heart are enlarged; 
bring me out of my distresses. 
18    Consider my affliction and my trouble, 
and forgive all my sins. 
19    Consider how many are my foes, 
and with what violent hatred they hate me. 
20    Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! 
Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 
21    May integrity and uprightness preserve me, 
for I wait for you. 
22    Redeem Israel, O God, 
out of all his troubles. 
 
Meditation
God desires to meet His people in the midst of pain and problems of life. The lyrics in today’s Psalm prove our prayers of penitence and protection provide a path leading to God Himself. 
 
David’s prayer for protection from his enemies (1-3, 16-21) bookends two cycles of penitential pleas for God’s mercy to forgive his sin (4-11, 12-15). David’s patient waiting (3, 5, 21) and trust in the Lord (1, 2, 5, 15) mark the power of faith fueling his prayers for fortification from enemies and forgiveness for sins. God reveals the path of both prayers lead to personally knowing Him.
 
“All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness…” (10) God Himself is steadfast love, a covenant keeping God promising to protect and provide for His people. God Himself is faithful, promising His presence to all whose trust is in Him. God’s path of prayer leads not to somewhere but to Someone- to Himself. God’s character will shape and form God’s people through intimate connection with Him.
 
Prayers of protection and penitence push God’s glory forward, highlighted by two motivational clauses: “For the sake of Your goodness…” (7) and “For Your name’s sake, oh Lord…” (11). Simultaneously, David welcomes God’s promises of fortitude, forgiveness, satisfied soul, and friendship with Him.
 
Jesus brings fullness to these prayers, meeting us personally in our pain and problems, promising His presence for protection, and His propitiatory sacrifice to guarantee forgiveness for our sins. Jesus is the way (path) and the destination! The fuel and the focus of our faith.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s psalm, especially in how God reveals to meet His people personally in our prayers for protection and of penitence and His promises?
 
-Where do you turn for protection other than prayer? What do you do to feel forgiven other than turning to God in prayer? How are these choices shaping you?
 
-How does the finished work of Jesus, which guarantees His promises, both fuel your prayers for protection and penitence and focus your faith on Him? He is with you- and He is enough.
 
Key Verse
10    All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. 

​After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. 
 
5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 
 
12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal. 17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this. 
Paul Returns to Antioch
18 After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. 19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. 21 But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus. 
22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. 
Apollos Speaks Boldly in Ephesus
24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. 
 
Meditation
Discipleship is not autonomous. Participation in God’s mission cannot happen in isolation or with superficial relationships. Podcasts and worship playlists cannot replace fellowship as God’s means of grace. Detrick Bonhoeffer writes (Life Together), “It is easily forgotten that the fellowship of Christian brethren is a gift of grace, a gift of the Kingdom of God that any day may be taken from us…” 

Paul’s band of missionaries move from one urban center to the next, namely from Athens to Corinth, Antioch, and Ephesus. Paul always moved in mission with a covenantal team because the Church, since our earliest days, has always been a “together people.”

Discipling community drives this portion of the missionary journey. Pricilla and Aquilla hosted Paul in Corinth, traveled with Paul to Ephesus, and mentored Apollos in teaching. Apollos was “an eloquent man” and a gifted Bible teacher. Silas and Timothy joined the crew, too, and hospitality from brothers like Titus Justus moved the mission forward.

There is strength in covenant community. The Lord says to Paul, “I have many in this city who are my people” (10). Paul was delighted for opportunity to live in dependency on God’s people.

The Church began as a discipleship and mission community (Acts 2:42) and we are commanded to continue meeting together (Hebrews 10:25). We resist accountable Christian relationships because they are messy- We are messy! But the gospel redeems and restores, uniting believers to be more like Christ (discipleship) and to participate in the purposes of Christ (mission). We are better together, and we desperately need one another.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What observations do you make from today’s reading, especially in regards to the community of disciples dispersed together in mission?
 
-Why is community difficult? Where do you struggle prioritizing community and connection with other Christians in your discipleship and mission?
 
-How does the new primary identity as a child of God through the work of Christ compel you to live in mutual, reciprocal, relationship with other believers? Where do you need to prioritize this more? Be specific.
 
Key Verse
10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”