Blog
Crowds chant her name, begging for a chance to see her one more time. The stage lights dance off the sparkles of her outfit as she runs back on stage for one last song. The world hasn’t seen such a craze since Elvis graced the stage in the 50s, and girls were fainting left and right.
Tickets to these concerts are outrageous, yet the stands are filled with fans.
The responses came one by one as a few parents began sharing the lyrics of this pop star’s newly released album. They spoke out against her, saying these aren’t things our kids should be listening to.
“It’s just a song. It’s just good fun. It’s not hurting anyone. But the girls love it. Everyone has a right to freedom of speech. I loved her when I was younger, and her songs were fine.”
Although many agreed her newest album is too explicit for children (rated E on 11 songs), the letters to the editor, mom blogs, and Christian reviews weren’t enough to diminish sales or attendance. When the tour ends, it’s projected to bring in more than $1 billion dollars.
Acts 19:23-28
“23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there.
25 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.
26 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.
27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”
28 When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Diana, or Artemis as she’s referred to in Greek, was the goddess of fertility. A large statue of her was in the great temple of Ephesus. The people believed it had come down from Jupiter, the king of the gods, according to Greek mythology. Everything in the city reflected her image and this belief system.
As Paul preached throughout the city against idol worship and declared there was only one true God, some repented. They burned the maps and books they used for sorcery and witchcraft. And the news traveled quickly.
Demetrius was a businessman. He made his fortune as a craftsman, creating silver statues of the goddess Diana for people to purchase and worship. When he heard Paul’s message about there only being one God to worship, he knew his livelihood was being threatened.
He stirred up the others in town. It was not just about the money they would lose but that this was a threat to their beliefs, heritage, and culture. The people began speaking out against Paul and “the Way,” which referred to Christians and their declaration that Jesus was the only way to heaven.
“Great is Artemis (Diana) of the Ephesians”, they shouted!
They were making their choice. They were taking a stand. Their devotion was to their idols, their false gods.
Even today, we have idols.
I’m not just talking about billionaire superstars. Just look at our day-to-day lives – where is our devotion? Where is our money and our time spent? What do we put before the Lord?
We (including myself) don’t always want to hear those things. We like our music, movies, hobbies, guilty pleasures, and the comforts of this life. And when someone speaks against it – whew! We get mad, defensive, and protective of our “things.”
The Bible is clear – God alone is to be worshipped.
Just as Paul declared, there is only one way to heaven. There is only one name to be praised and worshipped.
His name is Jesus.
Discuss: What things in your personal life need addressing – things that you’ve been putting before the Lord? What are some things that need changing in your family’s schedule and adoration? What idols would Paul be pointing out in our lives that need tearing down? How can we model a better example for our children and unbelievers for what we say we believe?
No one said it would be easy. Following Christ means denying self and putting Him first. Want to know what it looks like to become a truly devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org.
Copyright © 2024 Lifeword.org. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from Lifeword.org