May 28, 2017
This is a weekly blog post with one purpose: to help those coming to Park’s Sunday gathering engage with the teaching and liturgy in a more meaningful way. We use this space to share in advance our Sunday’s liturgy: the scripture we’ll be studying, the songs we’ll be singing, and the prayers we’ll be praying together. We also share a handful of thoughts each week to help you use these things to prepare for the service.
We return this Sunday to The Book of Acts: You Will Be My Witnesses for week 32 in the series. Here’s how you can prepare:
1. READ THROUGH OUR TEXT, ACTS 19:21-20:1.
Paul, en route to Jerusalem, stops in the city of Ephesus, well-known for its worship of Artemis, the popular goddess of fertility. The silversmiths were concerned for the profitability of their idol manufacturing business and the impacts the gospel would have on the local economy (and ultimately their livelihood). Again we find the gospel making its way throughout the region, confronting lies and idols, while calling people into right relationship with the God who created all things.
If Paul walked into Denver today and began preaching the gospel, what sorts of businesses do you think would feel threatened? What sorts of idols would be exposed? In what ways is God the ultimately fulfillment of each of those idols?