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Paul gets kicked out of the synagogue in Ephesus, so he brings Christ into the classroom – Acts 19:8-10 NKJV

Use Every Available Means to Reach Every Available Person at Every Available Time with the Gospel!

Liberty University was founded with a vision by Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr. to develop “Christ-centered men and women with the values, knowledge, and skills essential to impact the world.” Its motto is to “Train Champions for Christ!” Every student studying in any discipline is encouraged to be a witness in their respective fields. They are trained to be excellent at their craft to gain the respect of their colleagues in the field in order to earn the right to be heard when they share the Gospel. And to the praise of the Lord, testimonies
of students and alumni who have taken this mission and calling to heart are myriad! Thousands of people who work with these Liberty University students in their employment sector and spheres of influence have testified to these students that “we hear them speaking...the wonderful works of God” (Acts 2:11)!

Liberty University was established by the founding church, Thomas Road Baptist Church, which was led by Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr. From its inception, the church has remained faithful to the Word of God and the preaching of the Gospel. The church still maintains its passion to use “every available means to reach every available person at every available time” with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There has never been a time when an individual has heard mixed messages about the Gospel of Jesus Christ from either institution. The message remains clear and has been consistently proclaimed since the inception of both institutions. It is safe to say that there will never be a day when a student or congregant, faculty member, or pastor will be persecuted for accurately and sincerely presenting the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul would have loved to experience such a welcoming environment in both synagogues and centers of learning in his day. Unfortunately, the locations dedicated to spiritual discussion (i.e., synagogues) often expelled Paul from their midst or pressured him to leave for sharing his interpretations of the Scriptures. Paul was driven out of the synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:42-47), in Iconium (Acts 14:1-7), in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5-9), in Berea (Acts 17:10-15), in Corinth (Acts 18:4-7), and in Ephesus (Acts 19:8-9a). He was also stoned in Lystra, by those from Iconium (Acts 14:19), arrested by Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue in Corinth (Acts 18:12-17), and arrested by the leaders of the Jerusalem temple (Acts 21:26-30). Paul did not receive a warm reception in an environment where one would think spiritual discussions would be welcome.

Usually, in these instances, Paul had to flee the city for his safety. But on two occasions, the Lord provided environments of protection with a willing audience. In Corinth, Paul walked right next door into a Gentile’s house and ended up leading many Gentiles and Jews to Christ, including ultimately the leader of the synagogue (Acts 18:7-8)! And in Ephesus (Acts 18:8-9a), Paul withdrew from the synagogue and received a warm reception to share his views in, of all places, a school lecture hall!

Paul was permitted to lecture for two straight years on his view of how the Old Testament spoke of Jesus Christ being the suffering servant and the Risen Lord, and how the Old Testament foretold of Jesus being the Messiah sent from God the Father in whom all should place their faith. Admittedly, while this arrangement of utilizing church/school facilities sounds like a common place for anyone familiar with the ministries that sit upon Liberty Mountain, this was a unique arrangement for Paul that was not witnessed before in the book of Acts.

The School of Tyrannus was a school of Philosophy located in Ephesus. It was either owned and named after a philosopher named Tyrannus who lived in Ephesus, or named after a philosopher known among the Ephesians named Tyrannus, but owned by another. While it was not on the level of the three sanctioned universities by Rome located in Alexandria, Rome, and Athens (see the Devotional on Acts 18:24-28), it was a well-established and recognized place of learning among the Ephesians. It was treated with respect by the community, as there is no record of Paul being interrupted by disagreeable Jewish people during the two years he lectured there. Most likely, Paul rented out the facility between the hours of 11:00am-4:00pm (as some ancient manuscripts make comment) during the established cultural time the Ephesian community took off work to rest during the heat of the day. Many would work until 11:00am and then return to work at 4:00pm, up to midnight or later. In addition, it is very likely that the school itself held philosophical views in disagreement with Paul, but to them, he was merely a renter of their facility and a source of additional revenue. Paul took advantage of every available means to reach every available person at every available time with the Gospel!

Now, let’s really put ourselves into this moment and experience this text. If you do the math, it is very possible that Paul lectured for five hours a day, six days a week, for two years! This was a lot of lecturing! We know lectures sometimes get a bad reputation because they are synonymous with “boring.” Sure, the attendees received a thorough education in the Scriptures from a formally trained scholar, Paul. But can you also imagine the inspiring dialogues that took place with him and others in class? Can you hear Paul’s masterful treatment of how Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies, including His suffering, death, and resurrection? Can you picture seeing some of your classmates begin to experience the conviction of the Holy Spirit and come to grips with the reality that they need Jesus? Can you imagine the real-life illustrations Paul offered from his own experiences to illustrate some of his most poignant points in the lecture? Can you hear the growing emotion in Paul’s voice as he lectured on the Old Testament Scriptures that foretold how the Messiah and His followers would be persecuted for their faith, knowing that it came from His own hand? And how would you have felt when you heard Paul’s voice quiver as he expressed his deep, sorrowful regret for the part he played in fulfilling those prophesies? And could you see yourself smile with laughter and joy when he finally arrived at the point in his testimony where he proclaimed, “But this is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in Him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; He alone is God. Amen” (I Timothy 1:15-17, NLT)! What an unforgettable experience of exponential spiritual growth that happened in that lecture hall during two years of deep, meaningful teaching of the Word of God from God’s faithful servant.

Ponder & Pray Today…

Reflect on a sermon or a lecture on the Bible that you listened to that you still can remember after all these years. Ask yourself, why did that particular message resonate with you so profoundly? How many years ago did you hear that message? Are you able to recall some of the points that were made in the message? Now think back and ask yourself if that message was something you intentionally sought out to listen to or did God surprise you by bringing it across your path in church, online, in a podcast, etc.? Rehearse the Biblical truths you learned from that message that you still embrace in your life today.

Pray to God and thank Him for His truth that affected your life so profoundly over these many years. Tell God about the lessons you have learned from His Word that have made a profound impact on your spiritual life. And share with Him how these truths have helped you grow spiritually, and if you have been able to encourage other believers with them. Then, tell Him you are going to keep your heart open to glean from any truths and lessons that you are exposed to through His Word and are preached in your church.