Have you ever told a story and realized mid-sentence that you left out an important detail—one that would’ve made the whole thing make sense? Maybe it was the emotion in the room, a joke that needed explaining, or a key character that tied everything together. When we retell events, we instinctively fill in the gaps. Why? Because good stories deserve the full picture. We want people to feel what we felt, see what we saw, and understand why it mattered.
That’s what I believe Luke is doing in this section of Acts. He’s not just telling us what happened, he’s carefully helping us see the bigger picture of how the gospel continued to spread and stick, even in places of resistance and confusion.
As I read through Acts 18:23-19:41, I couldn’t help but notice something: there are a lot of people involved here besides Paul. The Spirit is moving in multiple places, through various voices. This is Paul’s third missionary journey, which will be his last before traveling to Jerusalem and then Rome. And while we’re nearing the end of his story in Acts, the gospel story is only gaining momentum.
The Gospel Sticks Best When It’s Shared
This part of Scripture becomes even more real to me because I was recently in this region of Turkey, physically standing in the places where these events happened. I walked through ancient ruins. I stood near the great theater of Ephesus. I walked where the apostle Paul, Priscilla, Aquila, Timothy, Epaphras, Luke, Mary, the apostle John, Erastus, Gaius, and so many more key leaders in the early church I saw the baptistry in the Church of Mary. And I was reminded that these aren’t just names on a map, they’re places where real people encountered the truth of Jesus.
Ephesus is a significant city in Scripture. Many of you may know it because Paul later wrote a letter to the Ephesian church. It’s one of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation, where Jesus addresses them through the Apostle John. That alone makes it important, but there’s more.
The Baptistry in the Church of Mary
Our Tour Guide & Group
Let me give you some context. Ephesus was the capital city of the Roman province of Asia. If you remember, last week we focused on Corinth, the capital of the province of Achaia. These were influential cities, cultural and spiritual hubs of the ancient world. At that time, Ephesus had a harbor. Today, that harbor is long gone—the sea has receded like the Mississippi delta. But in Paul’s day, this made Ephesus a major port city, buzzing with life, trade, and ideology.
The Road We Entered the City
The Full View into the Ephesus Ruins
It was also home to one of the seven wonders of the ancient world: the Temple of Artemis (or Diana, in Roman terms). Artemis worship wasn’t just a sideshow; it was the dominant cultural and religious influence in the city.
The Gospel Doesn’t Just Reach New Places, It Confronts Strongholds
“One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was a site of worship for the Goddess Artemis. The first record of the temple was 7th century BC when it was destroyed by a flood. It was then rebuilt in 550 BC under the instruction of King Croesus, but destroyed again by a fire in 356 BC. Taking 120 years, the temple was rebuilt again and considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Four times the size of the Parthenon, on a 425 feet by 239 feet platform and being 342 feet by 163 feet itself, it contained 127 60-feet columns (36 overlaid with gold).”footnote
“It was in the reign of Domitian that an emperor gave permission to build an Emperor Temple; that is the permission to be the ‘neocoros’ for the first time, which was a great honor for a city. When the unpopular emperor was killed by his servant, the public quickly took vengeance and erased his name from many inscriptions. However, in order to not lose its neocoros status, the Ephesians re-dedicated the temple to Vespasian, the father of Domitian.”footnote
The “Mother Goddess” Known as Artemis
Rendering of The Temple of Artemis/Diana
The Goddess Diana
What makes Ephesus even more meaningful is the people connected to it. Church tradition holds that Mary, the mother of Jesus, lived in Ephesus for a time, under the care of the Apostle John. That’s likely why the Church of Mary still stands there today. It’s near the massive theater where a riot later breaks out in Acts 19. While visiting, I stood near an ancient baptistry, still intact, and I thought: What must it have been like to hear Mary tell her story?
The young woman who had once fled for her life now lived in a city devoted to false gods. The one who carried the Savior in her womb was now in a place filled with idolatry. And yet, her story, His story, continued to shine. Timothy was the pastor of the church, and Paul, writing 1 and 2 Timothy, is to him while he is pastoring in this city.
The Apostle John also spent time here, possibly writing his Gospel and letters from this city. Some even believe the Book of Revelation was penned here. In fact, it is “believed that John wrote from Ephesus the Gospel of John, 1, 2, and 3 John, and some believe the Book of Revelation.”footnote Ephesus wasn’t just a place of conflict, it became a place of spiritual legacy.
Sometimes, the Bible gives us broad strokes. Other times, it slows down and zooms in. But the goal is always the same: life change. We read about people discovering the truth, letting go of what they thought they knew, and stepping into something new. That’s what we’re going to see this morning—people who had some understanding of Jesus, but not a complete one.
Ephesus became a leadership pipeline and a leadership laboratory. The Gospel of Jesus Christ was being clarified, a deeper understanding was created, and it was passed on.
A Good Story, But an Incomplete Story
Acts 18:24-28
Correction with Grace Leads to Growth with Power
Disciple-Making Starts Where People Are and Leads Them Where Jesus Is and Then Jesus Leads Them to Others, and the Cycle Continues
Asking Questions that Matter
Acts 19:1-10
We Can Look Like a Disciple and Still Lack Jesus
Growth Starts with Honest Questions, Not the Perfect Answer
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace …
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 1:7, 13-14 NKJV
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
Romans 8:15-17 NKJV
4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:4-7 NKJV
God’s Word Sticks Best Where There’s Room to Ask Questions
Library of Celsus..Potential Meeting Spot for the School of Tyrannus
When We Get Over Our Heads
Acts 19:11-20
We Can’t Borrow Someone Else’s Relationship with Jesus
The Name of Jesus has Power, but Knowing the Person Behind the Name is Important
When Jesus Changes Our Hearts, We Don’t Hide It, We Burn the Old Life Behind Us
When was the last time you felt that kind of conviction? Not guilt—but deep, Spirit-led clarity. A moment where you knew: This needs to go. This needs to change. This is a barrier in my soul. When was the last time you opened your heart and asked God to do a deep clean of your mind, your habits, your hidden corners? When was the last time you got honest with the Holy Spirit about the idols still clinging to your heart?
Today’s Takeaways:
What are the Gaps in Your Understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
True Discipleship Lifestyle or Only in “Title”
Living Through the Faith of Other People, Instead of Your Faith
I am not sure who or what section of this morning thought you might identify with and be challenged to grow, maybe all of them. But one thing that I think is powerful, and something that I had the privilege to see firsthand hand is that the city of Ephesus is gone, there are archeological ruins and some really cool things to sit and look at. But the city is not a city anymore, it is an ancient ruin.
But the name of Jesus is alive, the name of Paul is inspiring, but it is Jesus who changes the world. The church is alive today and thriving around the world, and confidently says at 14200 South May because of the testimony of life change in Jesus Christ, through persuasion not by propaganda or fear.
What gaps do you have in your understanding of Jesus Christ? What areas have you been using as an excuse not to give your life to Christ: the problem of evil, Old Testament stories, you have friends who are unbelievers, or cultural idols?
In what ways are you proclaiming to be a disciple, like the men Paul found, but truly are not living in the Spirit of God, not living by conviction, not living by the fruits of the Spirit, and the greatest attribute of a believers that Jesus Himself taught, was that love truly is seen in the life of a Christian.
Are you living your Christian life through the names of other people who are strong in the faith? Maybe they encouraged you at one time you are living and trying to have a relationship with Jesus and in the name of Jesus through an old pastor, an old family member who was a true believer, or even someone in this room- we can’t live out our faith by trying to live through someone else.
These are important areas in our life to reflect and meditate on, because no one is perfect and we all struggle, we all have moments where we allow things to creep into our thoughts, into our minds, into our hearts, and at times our actions. However, Jesus Christ calls us into a deeper devotion and commitment to His Way, His Life, and His Spirit, and Heavenly Father- are you living with that mind and willing to commit to a life of being a Follower of Jesus?
