Disturbing the Economy of Idols
- Baptist Daily Devotional
- 13 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Rev. Tetteh-Annor Larbi | November 15 2025 | Acts 19:21-27
KEY VERSE: “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… will be robbed of her divine majesty.” (Acts 19:27, NIV)
MESSAGE:
After the Word of the Lord grew mightily in Ephesus, Paul began preparing for the next phase of his Spirit-directed mission. He resolved in the Spirit to travel through Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem, and eventually to Rome. He sent Timothy and Erastus ahead, while he stayed in Ephesus a little longer. It was during this transition—when the Gospel was spreading, deepening, and reshaping the city—that rising opposition finally broke into the open.
When Paul’s preaching began to turn people away from idolatry, the impact reached beyond personal belief. It touched the economy. Demetrius, a silversmith who made shrines for Artemis, stirred up a riot. His concern was not morality or truth, but profit. The Gospel confronted a system built on false worship, and the darkness pushed back.
This episode reveals how closely idols are tied to livelihood, culture, and power. Today, our idols may not be carved from silver, yet the Gospel still challenges the things we depend on—money, status, pleasure, and self-rule. When Jesus takes His rightful place, the counterfeit must fall. Revival will always shake what is not built on Christ.
We do not need force or violence to challenge wrong foundations. We need to proclaim the Gospel faithfully, trusting the Spirit to do His work. The same message that transformed Ephesus still carries the power to transform cities today. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Are you willing to let the Gospel confront the hidden “silver” in your life? When God’s truth challenges your habits, spending, desires, or reputation, will you cling to your idols or surrender them? Let Jesus expose every false foundation until He alone is your treasure.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord Jesus, I surrender anything that competes with You in my life. Help me release every idol and follow You with a whole heart. Let Your truth reorder my values and shape my desires. In Your name, Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING
DAILY word study: DISCREDITED The Greek word for Discredited is kathaireō, which means to pull down, remove, or strip of status.
In Acts 19:27, Demetrius fears that the temple of Artemis will be “discredited”—that is, brought down from the place of honour it once held.
The Gospel was exposing the emptiness behind the idol industry in Ephesus. As people turned to Christ, the old structures began to lose their influence. What once controlled the city was losing its grip as hearts shifted toward Jesus.
Reflect on this:
Is there anything in your life that needs to lose its influence so Christ can take His rightful place?
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