SEASON ONE • EPHESUS
EPISODE 03 • 55 AD
The Door Opens
ACTS 19:11-20
Extraordinary miracles. Counterfeit power. Public fear. A fortune consumed by fire. The spiritual collision in Ephesus is becoming impossible to ignore.
Listen to episode 03
The Door Opens
the story
When the Invisible War Became Visible
After multiple years of faithfulness, Ephesus is about to see the Kingdom of God invade their city.
Acts 19:11-20 records one of the most dramatic moments in Paul’s ministry in Ephesus:
There will be people healed, demons flee, and people turning to Jesus.
At the center of this story is a city of people watching the effectiveness of Jesus in a city that belonged to Artemis.
As the people align themselves with Jesus, they lay everything else aside: magic scrolls, idols, and other gods.
Before long, the spiritual economy of Ephesus will begin to take notice…
We begin to see the invisible war become visible:
As the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world begin colliding.
read the text
Scripture From This Episode
acts 19:11-20
You will see:
• People healed with cut up pieces of Paul’s clothing
• The seven sons of Sceva running naked through the streets of Ephesus
• 50,000 Drachmas worth of scrolls burn as people confess and repent
• A massive crowd of people give Jesus their full allegiance
• The foundations of Ephesus begin to crack
episode companion
Explore Episode Three
Continue beyond the episode with free resources designed to help you study the biblical text, visualize the world of Ephesus, and share what you are learning with others.
Episode 3 Devotional
What Are You Still Holding Onto?
Reflect on the believers laying all the evidence of their past allegiances into the flames in the middle of Ephesus. Knowing that each believer must ask the same questions: can I carry this and still follow after Jesus?
Episode 3 Teaching Guide
The Door Opens
A ready to use guide for personal teaching, small groups, Bible studies, Sunday school, and church settings.
Infographics
50,000 Silver: The Value Burned
See the actual monetary value of the 50,000 silver worth of magic books burnt by believers in Acts 19.
Artemis Versus Cloths
Experience the first century Ephesian perspective of seeing cloths used in a spiritual way compared to what they were familiar with in Acts 19.
Jesus Is Not A Formula
Understand what first century Ephesian magic and Jewish exorcism practices looked like that helps us understand why the Sons of Sceva were unsuccessful using the name of Jesus.
Behind the story
The Door Opens
Extraordinary Miracles
As cut up pieces of Paul’s clothing gets sent out to people: sick people are healed and demons flee. This shows the people of Ephesus the power of Jesus.
The Sons of Sceva
These exorcists try to use the name of Jesus as if it is a ritual instead of a relationship. This leads to failure as they get beaten by evil forces losing their clothes and their dignity.
The Burning Scrolls
Ephesus was famous for selling the Ephesian Grammata: a scroll sold for high prices that promised magical incantations to keep you safe, recover from sickness, and make your life prosperous. As people witnessed the power of Jesus; they burned their scrolls.
the people
Meet the People in the Story
The Apostle Paul
Watches the miracles unfold as multitudes of people come to the awareness that Jesus is over everything. After many years of grueling faithfulness, he now gets to see the harvest.
The Seven Sons of Sceva
Sons of a Jewish Priest belonging to an order of exorcists. They tried to invoke the name of Jesus as if it was a ritualistic formula and found out the hard way, that the name of Jesus, is not a word be used like an incantation.
The Ephesian Believers
The people who accepted Jesus before and through these events gathered together and openly burned the things that belonged to their past life. Many of the first believers in Ephesus were had been pagans that were raised to trust Artemis and magic. In public, they voluntarily burned all of the signs of that life. They chose Jesus only.
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