When I was a child, we spent most of our summer vacations at my parents’ camp. For most of my childhood, that camp did not have electricity, so there was no television to watch.  Instead, we spent time doing things together and we played a lot of card games.  One of the card games was Concentration.  Perhaps you remember playing that game as well.  For those not acquainted with the game or who have forgotten how it was played, a deck of cards, or part of a deck of cards, was placed face down on a table in a series of columns and rows.  On a player’s turn, they would turn over two cards hoping the cards would match.  If the two cards matched, you got to go again and turn over two more cards seeking a matched pair.  If the cards did not match, the two cards were turned over and placed face down. In the television program called Concentration, as cards were matched and removed from the board, a picture was revealed forming a word riddle to be solved.  The key to either version of the game is remembering what was revealed and staying focused, concentrating on the objective of learning all of the cards as they were revealed.  In some ways, understanding the game of Concentration will help us in our understanding our walk as disciples of Jesus Christ and exemplified by the work Paul did in a place called Ephesus.

          The Apostle Paul had traveled throughout Greece and made his way to the city of Ephesus.  Ephesus was a coastal city in what is now modern-day Turkey.  There was a mixture of people in the city.  There were Jews and non-Jews.  The Jewish population of Ephesus was large enough to sustain at least one synagogue.

          When Paul arrived in Ephesus, Paul immediately set out for that synagogue to share the good news that Jesus had come as God’s long-awaited Messiah.  We read earlier today that Luke reported, “8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8).  What was Paul’s point in his three months of preaching, reasoning, and apparently even arguing with those in attendance at the synagogue?

          We learn about what Paul taught from Paul’s letter back to the church sent years later while Paul was in custody in a Roman jail.  Paul wrote, “4 For he [God] chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he [God] predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he [God] has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him [Jesus] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he [God] lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he [God] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Ephesians 1:4-10).  What was Paul’s point?

• God chose us to be holy and blameless (v. 4)
• God predestined us for adoption as His children (v. 5)
• Jesus redeemed us with His blood by forgiving us all our sins (v. 7)
• God made known to us the mystery of His will (v.9)
• God will bring unity to us all things in heaven and one earth with Christ (v. 10).

          The first thing we notice about Paul’s presentation in the synagogue at Ephesus is that everything about the good news of the gospel is an act of God not an act of humanity.  God chose us.  God predestined us.  Jesus redeemed us.  God was made known to us.  God will bring unity to us.  The development of the plan for us was and is God’s and God’s alone.  The fulfillment of the God’s plan was God’s and God’s alone. Now here is a rubbing point for many people.  The idea of God taking it upon himself to develop and complete a plan for our benefit, without our input, without asking us what we think, runs counter to human thinking and particularly our modern human thinking.  People want to co-create plans that involve them believing that is necessary for them to be involved to ensure their particular interests are addressed in the way they want them addressed.  We want things our way.  This is why so many people reject the salvation plan.  They do so because it is not the plan they would have created.  Why are we humans so insistent on having things our way?

          I want you to consider this.  The other day, I was reading a book by the 4th century theologian, Augustine, called Confessions.  Augustine wrote this book to God.  And Augustine’s style is to capture his thoughts as though he was speaking to God. Augustine said this, “Men [Humanity] corrupt or pervert the nature which you [God] ordained for them…They [Humans] make use of permissible things, but out of all good measure…They burn in lust for things that are not permitted...When held to blame [to account for their own conduct] they rave against You in mind and speech…They are glad to break the bonds of human society, and they come together in gangs or sects [factions and parties], according to something that pleases or offends them…And that is what men do when they forsake You…They love a mere part, which they mistake for a whole unity” (Confessions, III.8). These are some very profound words.

          Augustine helps us to understand that humanity cannot restore or redeem itself.  Humanity cannot create or co-create a plan of redemption because humanity is corrupt, greedy, lustful, angry toward God, and humanity is happy to break itself into identity groups based upon what pleases that group or offends that group.  Do you have the picture in mind that Augustine was sharing from the 4th century?  I don’t think it is hard to imagine what Augustine was describing because Augustine is essentially describing the life in the 21st century that we live in with its corruption, greed, lustfulness, anger toward God, and it is willingness to break itself along identity political lines.  Paul was saying in the 1st century, Augustine echoed it in the 4th century, and we should say in the 21st century that we are not able to restore or redeem ourselves.  Redemption can only come from God.  Therefore, any religious teaching that speaks of self-improvement, of sainthood or holiness through work must be completely rejected as a mere human philosophy destined to fail from the start.

          Paul shared God’s plan, God’s plan, with those in the synagogue of Ephesus and argued that, “11 In him [God] we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:11-14).  Paul reiterated that the redemption plan was and is God’s and God’s alone.  The human part of the plan is to be humble enough to:

• Place your hope in Christ (v. 12)
• Believe in the message of truth, the gospel (v. 13)
• Accept the Holy Spirit into your life as a deposit guaranteeing your eternal redemption (v. 14)

Augustine described that the way back to God is by humble piety, a submission and acceptance of God’s plan through Jesus Christ.  Any sense of restoration with God and unity within the human society requires that we first humbly placing our hope in Christ.  Second, that we humbly believe in the truth of the gospel.  And third that we humbly accept the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Any other approach towards redemption and unity is and will remain an illusion, something that is not real.  This was Paul’s message.

          But as we know then as we know today not everyone can allow themselves to be humble enough to accept God’s plan.  Luke reported that “9 But some of them [who heard Paul’s message] became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them” (Acts 19:9a). We have seen this pattern as we have explored Paul’s evangelistic outreach in different cities.  Paul preached Christ crucified, some Jews and God-fear Greeks believe and were baptized.  But some refused to believe, and they became belligerent toward the evangelists and those who have given their life to Christ.  Those opposed to God’s plan did not argue against what the evangelists said using the strength of scriptures.  Instead, they created false allegations and attacked first the character of the evangelists and when that was not working, those opposed then attacked the physical safety of the evangelists.  As we have said in prior weeks, they did this to Jesus, Stephen, Paul, and they continue to do it today.  Here in Ephesus, Paul’s character was attacked and so Paul left them.  The attack on Paul’s personal safety came a bit later. 

          Now in between the attack on Paul’s character and the attack on Paul’s body, Paul had more work to do.  Luke wrote that after Paul left the synagogue, “He [Paul] took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord” (Acts 20:9b-10).  What do we make of what Luke has revealed to us in these few words?  I think there are three things for us to consider.

          First, Paul established a gathering of disciples separate from the synagogue.  This gathering of disciples we would call a church.  The church of Ephesus was born.  The church became a standalone living organism that existed in full view of the public but only had one purpose, to make disciples.  The church was not formed to champion social justice initiatives, or to provide a daycare, or soup kitchen, or any other noble purpose.  The church was the place where discipleship occurred.  How do we know this was the case?

          We look to our second point.  Luke said, “He [Paul] took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus” (Acts 19:9b).  We see here that Paul arranged to use a lecture hall, a building created for teaching, apparently owned by a man known as Tyrannus, which translates to “Tyrant.”  Likely, each day after Tyrannus completed the lectures for his paying students, Tyrannus opened the building for use by Paul for his daily discussions with the disciples of the Way, meaning Christians.  We still see this today where newly formed churches will rent space in a public school to hold worship services.  In Ephesus, Paul used the lecture hall to provide for discussions about what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Think about that for a moment.  Everyday, perhaps after supper, or with supper, for two years, Paul and the disciples gathered to talk about God, God’s plan, and their part in the kingdom of God.  Everyday. What was Paul after in holding daily discussions?  Paul shared with us in his letter to the church at Ephesus two reasons for these daily discussions.

          First, Paul said, “3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).  The church of Ephesus was a new creation made up of people with differing backgrounds and differing religious practices who were now united in Christ.  In and through their acceptance of Christ, these differing people had been brought together, had been united.  Unity was a new thing to them.  Remember what Augustine said that absent Christ “People are glad to break the bonds of human society, and they come together in gangs or sects, according to something pleases or offends them.”  These disciples of the Way had previously broken the bonds of human society and lived as though each group was offensive to the other.  Now, in Christ, they were to live in unity that had been created by their individual acceptance of Christ.  Daily discussions were the way the people had to “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”  When we think about ourselves can we honestly say we make every effort to keep the unity with everyone who is a disciple of Christ?  I don’t think we do.  We Christians are still inclined to partition ourselves into different groups or to even avoid other Christians who make us uncomfortable, taking the stance of Augustine says is “They love a mere part [the part we occupy], which they mistake for a whole unity.”  We need to make sure that we are not loving only a part of the Christian community but all of our brothers and sisters.

          Secondly, Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, reminded the members of the church that, “21 When you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 3:21-24).  The daily meetings of the church were used to build disciples by teaching them two things.  First, the truth about Jesus Christ.  Secondly, how the truth and faith in Christ frees them from the sinful and ungodly ways of the past.

          This brings me back to the beginning of our conversation that I started with the game of Concentration.  Suppose you were playing the game of Concentration with three other people.  And let’s suppose you got to go first.  You turned over two cards, and they do not match. Then let’s suppose you turned the cards face down again and said, “I need to do something.”  Perhaps it is to place a phone call, check your email, see what is trending on X, whatever the reason, you need to do something.  And so you say to the three other players, “I am going to step out of the room, please continue to play,” and you leave the room. The other players continue to play, each turning over at least two new cards.  The other players call you for your next turn and you return to the room. You only know the two cards that you turned over.  The other players could know as many as eight cards.  You turn over two cards and let’s say they do not match.  You again leave play to take care of something and play continues without you.  When it is your turn again, you return for your turn.  You know four cards and the other players could know as many as 16 cards. It should be clear that you do not know very much about the game being played because you keep leaving the game to do other things. 

          This is the same situation we find ourselves in when we come just every so often to worship service.  Hebrews 10:25 teaches us, “25 Do not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.”  We make the situation worse for ourselves when we do not participant in Bible studies.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 teaches us, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."  When we don’t read the Bible, we are allowing ourselves to drift further from the truth.  Joshua 1:8 teaches us, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

          If we want to be disciples of Jesus Christ, then we need to do those things that disciples do.  We do it not out of guilt but out of joy for the peace and the assurance discipleship brings to our lives.  God chose you, he predestined you, Jesus redeemed you, God made himself known to you, and God will bring unity to your life.  God has done all these things for you.  In return, God asks that you place your hope in Christ, believe in the message of truth, accept the Holy Spirit to lead your life, and then to commit yourself and knowingly become a disciple, an imitator, of his Son, your Savior, Jesus Christ.  In this, we can have unity and a life in abundance now and forever with God.  Amen and Amen.