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Can Jesus Calm a Riot?
Acts 19:23-41 takes up 19 verses to tell us about a rio. WHY? One reason may be to show the difference Christ makes. Verse 20 says, “So mightily grew the word of the Lord and prevailed.” Christ succeeded in converting people from witchcraft and sorcery. It is wonderful to hear from the mouth of pagans how the power of Jesus Christ has transformed their lives (vv. 17-18). This is amazing evidence. This evidence frustrated the rioters, because it hurt the business merchants were receiving from those who worshipped the goddess Diana.
Nothing evil had taken place nor law broken, but the rioters were frustrated Diana would “be made of no account, and that she should even be disposed from her magnificence whom all Asia and the world woshippeth” (v. 27). It was insulting to dishonor Diana in a city so plagued by the influence of this false god. Neither Paul nor his companions were marching in protest against her. They were teaching a doctrine about God who was not made with hands. They were not carrying posters in protest. They were proclaiming and teaching about the Savior of the world, not an image of silver. All the negative rioting came as the result of a positive message of good news of salvation, turning people to a living God.
When you substitute people honoring a temple of Artemis to become in themselves a temple of the Holy Spirit, you have a glorious conversion. It is a change - a new life which pushed the old out of the way. Those in the city were not ready or willing to accept this change. It was this change which created the riot.
If you want to change a community for Jesus Christ, do not march in protest against the community. Live a holy life and start leading people to Jesus Christ. The end result is a change many in the community will not be able to handle. It will turn the city upside down like what took place in the New Testament days. You turn a community upside down by taking time to win souls to Christ, converting them to holiness and removing them from wickedness (Acts 17:6). The rioting began because the ungodly want to defend their “right” to ungodliness. They were opposed to anyone guiding them to cease a lifestyle which they have been “comfortable” with for so long. The influx of Christianity has that affect upon individuals in a community. When you hit unbelievers economically, religiously, politically, and socially, as was done in Ephesus (Acts 19), you can expect the possibility of severe opposition in the form of a riot. This is the effect of the power of the gospel.
Those in Ephesus could have marched in the streets shouting “Our Livelihood Matters” with all the anger they could muster, but would it change what the power of the gospel had done to the lives of those who were now followers of Jesus? Anger seemed to be a common response when people were being converted to Christianity in the first century (Example: Acts 7:54). Being cut to the heart would make someone angry at the teacher of the truth. For others, it would bring them to be angry at their sin and want salvation and hope. People get upset in some form (i.e., crying, hateful, disgusted at self, etc.) any time the gospel calls some to salvation.
People were upset with Jesus just like they are now. WHY? Jesus confronted people with the sinfulness of their sin and how disabled their entire life was without God. The people in Jesus’ day were so infuriated they started screaming and yelling, “Crucify Him; crucify Him; away with Him; away with Him!” It was a mob scene. The more truth was taught, the more angered they became. They eventually killed the One who came to save them.
Jesus could have stopped the chaos, confusion, and anger with a call from heaven to send twelve legions of angels. He didn’t. He was in harm’s way and placed there by God for an eternal purpose - our salvation. Would your protest stop the evil of a crooked and perverse generation? Would marching through the streets yelling and screaming cause the corruption to cease? Is boycotting the means to an end for immoral decisions by corporate officials? Is it better to act in wisdom rather than a foolish faith?
Think about it. Will God protect me if I lay down in the fast lane of the freeway? People should be acting in faith, but it is presumptuous to put yourself in danger and then expect God to deliver you. There is no reason to act foolishly. Acting carelessly in protest is presuming on God, thinking He will approve and deliver you from harm. Why tempt God? Do not go jumping into danger.
Be a Christian. Use the transformed mind God gave you as a “new man” in Christ and live holy lives and teach others of the same holiness. Jesus is not going to stop a riot. There is no reason for you to be a part of the mob, but a part of the peacemakers who realize their mission is to be salt of the earth, light of the world, and living righteously, holy, and godly in this present world (Titus 2:12).
