Warning Against Idolatry and a Word-Centered Faith
In his sermon focusing on Acts 19, Pastor David Jang highlights how the ancient city of Ephesus was fraught with idolatry-a matter that he insists remains just as critical a concern for today's church. The commotion caused by Demetrius the silversmith, who made idols, is not merely a relic of a distant time; rather, it should be understood as a realistic challenge faced by modern believers and congregations. In ancient Ephesus, local craftsmen would carve statues of the goddess Artemis, selling them like souvenirs to gain financial profit. Pastor David Jang notes how the fusion of religious worship with commercial interests-seen in the making and selling of idols-still appears today in various forms. The main point he stresses is that the act of worshipping a "visible idol" inevitably parallels the human desire to deify something of one's own making in hopes of deriving personal benefit from it.
Pastor David Jang repeatedly underscores that when Paul cried out in Ephesus, "Man-made gods are no gods at all," it provoked an uproar so severe that it shook the roots of that society and its economic framework. If one regards this only as a "religious conflict," one risks missing the heart of the issue. The true reason the silversmiths reacted so strongly was because they feared for their "economic survival." At the same time, their privileged status was threatened by the "power of the gospel," which was very real. In other words, Paul did not propose physically demolishing idols; rather, he addressed the emptiness of idols and the covetous attachment to Mammon that lay behind them. This message dealt a blow to the cultural and economic systems of the day. Drawing a parallel to our contemporary situation, Pastor David Jang asks, "Do we worship certain systems, rituals, traditions, or even our church building and finances as though they were idols of our own making?" and invites his listeners to examine themselves.
Why, then, do people make idols and choose to bow down before them? Pastor David Jang illustrates his explanation by referencing Old Testament passages such as Psalm 115 and Exodus 20, which make it unequivocally clear that God has forbidden idolatry: "You shall have no other gods before me" and "You shall not carve any images, nor bow down to them." Despite this explicit scriptural prohibition, humans hold a basic impulse to cling to a visible image. According to Pastor David Jang, the reason lies in the neglect of the principle that "faith comes from hearing," and the tendency to find comfort in "what is seen" out of laziness and fear. He contrasts "Word-centered faith" with "sight-focused faith," emphasizing how idols, being tangible objects, satisfy people's sensory desires, whereas God's Word draws us into a deeper spiritual realm through hearing and trusting.
From Ephesus's example, Pastor David Jang drives home the point that "idolatry is not merely bowing to stone or metal statues." It represents the attitude of assigning ultimate value to something we have created, seeking all meaning and security in that thing. Such a mindset, he warns, can be found lurking within today's church as well. When, for instance, the church becomes fixated on building grand or beautiful facilities, or when it elevates a particular ministry practice or tradition to absolute status, the result can be a drift toward idolatry. On a personal level, one may begin to revere money, success, fame, or human praise as if they were God, believing these to be the standard for blessing. In other words, "Mammon"-the root of idolatry-gains control over our lives. Pastor David Jang's penetrating analysis is that idols attract us because they are visible and graspable, while the Word demands that we listen for God's voice deep within, a process that many find more challenging and thus tend to avoid.
How, then, can the church remain vigilant against idolatry and hold on to a Word-centered faith? Pastor David Jang's solution is to become a "community that continually listens to, meditates on, and shares the Word." The believers in Ephesus grew strong, and the gospel spread throughout Asia because Paul spent about two to three years there, daily teaching the disciples with Scripture and proclaiming the gospel. This transformation was grounded in "the authority of the Word." When Paul presented the living Word of God-not human wisdom or philosophy, nor clever persuasion-the entire city was turned upside down, so much so that even those profiting from idol-making felt threatened. Pastor David Jang calls this the "power of the Word." He insists that unless the contemporary church recovers this same power, it cannot escape its double-mindedness: outwardly practicing religious activities while inwardly serving idols.
Furthermore, Pastor David Jang emphasizes that "the clearest warning about idolatry is that it prevents us from hearing God's voice." A life centered on idols inevitably blocks the space or time meant for God. Eventually, one's pathway to hearing the Word becomes clogged; prayer dries up; spiritual discernment grows dull; and one becomes increasingly willing to compromise with sin. For example, in Acts 19, the crowd that chanted, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" for two hours was so gripped by collective frenzy and emotion that they were impervious to reason or persuasion. This shows the frightening outcome when idolatry intensifies: people lose both intellectual and spiritual sensitivity. Pastor David Jang warns that such circumstances can recur at any time. When the church or individual believers turn their backs on Scripture and follow the current of the times, they inevitably reach a point where they can no longer hear the truth.
In conclusion, Pastor David Jang's message on "Warning Against Idolatry and a Word-Centered Faith" is not just a lesson for the secular world outside the church, but an ongoing challenge for the faithful community within. The gospel of Jesus Christ rejects idolatry and acknowledges God's absolute dominion, fulfilling the first commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me." For the modern church, that means keeping God's Word at the core of our community, making it both the root and the fruit of our spiritual life. From worship services and ministry to missions, education, charity, and service, "the Word must remain central." Pastor David Jang warns that when this foundation is not solid, people's personal convenience and vested interests lead to new idols being raised, bringing about a new form of arrogance and conflict. Just like the silversmiths in Ephesus, today's world can quickly raise modern-day idols linked to economic, cultural, or political gain. The only power the church has to resist these idols is "the truth of God's Word." It is only when each believer hears and obeys that Word daily that we can effectively break away from idolatry, a message Pastor David Jang persistently conveys in his preaching.
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Passion for Proclaiming the Gospel and an Apostolic Attitude
When speaking of the church's stance against idolatry, Pastor David Jang does not stop there; he also focuses on the overarching theme in Acts, namely "the zeal for gospel proclamation." In the Ephesian episode, Paul's response is not limited to criticizing idol worship. Rather, he aspires to bring the gospel not only to Ephesus but also to Macedonia, Achaia, and eventually Rome. Despite fierce challenges and persecution, he never gave up. Pastor David Jang refers to Paul's mindset as a perfect example of the "apostolic attitude."
One indicative scene of this apostolic attitude is Paul's reaction during the Ephesian riot, when he nearly "went into the theater himself to rescue his co-workers who had been seized," risking his own life, had the disciples not stopped him. Pastor David Jang describes this as an expression of "deep responsibility for the gospel, for one's co-workers, and for the church." To an ordinary mind, stepping into the midst of a highly agitated crowd may appear reckless, but for Paul it reflected his profound love and solidarity with the church body. Pastor David Jang stresses that such communal affection, the decision to face danger for the sake of one's fellow believers, is an attitude modern church leaders and members should emulate.
Another crucial point Pastor David Jang draws attention to is Paul's determination to press on toward Jerusalem and Rome. From the latter part of Acts 19 and into Acts 20, Paul's journey ultimately leads him to Rome, and it is anything but smooth. Jewish opponents conspired to kill him, he frequently faced storms and shipwrecks while traveling by sea, and yet he continuously discerned "the will of God" and moved forward alongside his co-workers. Pastor David Jang highlights that the expansion of the gospel was built "not merely on the outstanding leadership of one heroic figure" but on "team ministry and communal cooperation." Men like Aristarchus, Gaius, Timothy, and Tychicus stood by Paul, each preaching and establishing churches in their own regions. The Book of Acts makes it clear that "collective ministry" was the foundation for the gospel's far-reaching impact, a lesson Pastor David Jang urges the modern church to recapture.
A more pronounced glimpse of this "apostolic attitude" surfaces in Acts 20, where Paul delivers his farewell sermon. Summoning the Ephesian elders to Miletus, he tearfully tells them, "You will never see my face again," prays for them, and warns that "savage wolves" will invade the church after his departure. Pastor David Jang views this as prime evidence of apostolic love and responsibility. Though Paul had lovingly cared for the believers until then, he made it clear they must ultimately depend not on "Paul, the church planter," but on "the Word of God and the Holy Spirit." Paul did not boast about his leadership or achievements; he was sure that even if he left, "the Lord of the Church" would guide and protect them. Pastor David Jang terms this "apostolic humility and total reliance on the Holy Spirit."
Moreover, the trials and hardships Paul endured, which appear so vividly in these passages, align with one of Pastor David Jang's significant themes: "Ministry is rarely an easy path." If the church is to faithfully proclaim the gospel and stand against idolatry, it must be prepared for the world's hostility or even internal struggles. In addition to Ephesus, Paul encountered relentless persecution in Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonica, and other places. At times, he felt as though he had received a "death sentence." Even so, Paul never stopped or compromised in preaching the gospel. Pastor David Jang explains that this unwavering commitment forms the heart of the Book of Acts: The gospel does not prioritize human comfort or safety. When believers undertake gospel ministry, danger and sacrifice often accompany it. Yet through these trials, Jesus Christ's truth is revealed to the world, lives are transformed, and the church is strengthened.
In this vein, Pastor David Jang notes a paradoxical truth about "the benefits that persecution brings." When the church faces adversity, it can paradoxically highlight the essence of the gospel, helping believers distinguish "genuine faith" from "merely formal faith." During the Ephesian riot, those who depended on selling idols for their livelihood "absolutely could not accept" Paul's assertion that man-made objects are not gods. Yet once the commotion subsided, the gospel moved even further. Pastor David Jang ascribes this resilience to the gospel's "inner power" and states that the apostles, recognizing that power, kept an unwavering "apostolic attitude" without fear of suffering.
According to Pastor David Jang, this apostolic zeal remains necessary because we, like the early believers, still "live out the gospel within cultures that worship idols" and uphold various "worldly value systems." Since the church cannot entirely isolate itself from the world, it must remain vigilant, resisting secular ideas or ideologies that threaten to distort the gospel. This requires both "boldness and wisdom." Pastor David Jang interprets the city clerk's role in dispersing the Ephesian crowd as an example of "God's use of a wise individual to quell the turmoil in a lawful manner." Rather than always responding in an antagonistic or combative style, believers can also employ legitimate, orderly means to maintain peace. Yet in doing so, Paul and his co-workers never wavered in affirming the truth: "Idols are no gods at all."
Hence, "passion for gospel proclamation and an apostolic attitude," as described by Pastor David Jang, serve as the bedrock for advancing the gospel even under threat or persecution. For the modern church, the essential features of this attitude might include:
1. Communal Love Exemplified by Paul: Caring for co-workers and encouraging them, never abandoning fellow believers in danger.
2. Unconditional Trust in the Holy Spirit and the Authority of the Word: Relying solely on God, not on human institutions or personalities, and recognizing that problems arise when the church depends too heavily on human leadership or structures.
3. Practical Execution of Evangelism: Paul raised disciples in every region he visited, maintained contact through letters, and equipped local believers to shoulder spiritual responsibility. Likewise, the contemporary church must train believers to root themselves in Scripture and to live out the gospel in their daily contexts.
Based on these insights, Pastor David Jang concludes that any community that "rejects idolatry and clings to the Word" can reignite its passion for missions in any era or situation. He calls Acts "the church's starting point" as well as a source of "future vision," because it shows how Paul devoted his very life to the gospel, boldly proclaiming it all the way to Rome. His path was never easy, but because he maintained an apostolic stance, the church kept growing. Modern congregations should follow this model, says Pastor David Jang. Instead of relying on flashy, secular formulas for success, believers should trust and obey "the power of God's Word." Doing so will ensure that the church remains free from covert idolatry while fulfilling its call to spread the gospel.
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Directions for the Modern Church and Missions
Pastor David Jang proposes that the lessons from Ephesus and Paul's apostolic mindset in Acts provide vital guidelines for the modern church's approach to missions. He insists that the church is not merely a "religious organization" but rather a "missional community founded on the Word," tasked with transforming the world. As in Acts 19, wherever the gospel is introduced, it inevitably impacts the cultural, economic, and religious frameworks of that society. This dual nature-being a source of real power and simultaneously a source of conflict-underlies the church's identity. While the church must love and serve the world, it is bound to collide with the idols (such as Mammon) rooted in worldly structures. Pastor David Jang warns against diluting the gospel for fear of these clashes, urging that we imitate the Acts church by finding a way to "transform the world without becoming worldly."
In Pastor David Jang's view, the most dangerous trap for the contemporary church is "the short-term focus on visible outcomes." Had Paul decided to leave Ephesus after a few months because no immediate results were seen, the Ephesian church might never have been established. Yet Paul persisted for over two years, systematically teaching the Word in the lecture hall of Tyrannus, raising disciples, and patiently disseminating the gospel until it gradually spread throughout the province of Asia. Pastor David Jang calls this "plowing the field and planting roots," affirming that genuine change in a single life-or in an entire city's spiritual atmosphere-requires sacrificial passion and time.
Pastor David Jang also emphasizes the necessity of maintaining "Word-centeredness" when formulating missions strategies, whether local or global. Sometimes the church adopts "marketing techniques" or "event-focused ministry" to attract large crowds, which may have a temporary effect. But if the people drawn are not grounded in Scripture, the fruits of such efforts won't last. He points to the iconic moment in Ephesus when believers burned their idol-related items and sorcery scrolls, noting that those outwardly dramatic acts were preceded by daily Bible teaching in the hall of Tyrannus. Because the Word was deeply planted, people voluntarily discarded their idols. Pastor David Jang emphasizes that "ultimately, it is the power of the Word that shapes human lives," not just events or programs.
He further advises the contemporary church that merely criticizing or condemning idol-worshiping cultures is insufficient. Like the city clerk who dispersed the crowd, sometimes we need a balanced approach that takes advantage of common sense and lawful procedures, or that opens dialogues and seeks cultural engagement. At the same time, we must never compromise the unshakeable truth that "we will not worship idols." Pastor David Jang calls this posture "understanding the world without being conformed to it," reminding us of how Jesus dined with sinners and understood their cultural background without ever condoning sin. The church is similarly called to go out into the world while preserving its holiness and Scripture-based principles.
Pastor David Jang sees another key feature of modern missions as the development of "gospel-centered networks." The Book of Acts repeatedly shows that Paul did not work alone; he collaborated with co-workers and existing churches, communicating through letters and providing mutual support. By expanding these networks among missionaries in different countries today-leveraging modern technology and transportation-churches can emulate the synergy of the early church. Yet the bedrock must remain "a shared faith in the Word and the Holy Spirit," along with an attitude that embraces differences and limitations while communing in the truth.
He frequently references events like the Lunar New Year, when families gather in traditional ways to celebrate and wish one another prosperity. Rather than automatically labeling these customs as idolatry, Pastor David Jang insists on evaluating them in the light of God's Word. Otherwise, "blessing" may be reduced to mere material gain or vague well-wishes. He believes the church should take such occasions-be it a holiday or the year-end season-to reaffirm that "all blessings flow from above," corporately confessing this and offering gratitude and praise to God. Pastor David Jang notes that this can serve as a "rich point of contact" between Korean cultural traditions and Christian faith, while also cautioning against allowing those traditions to become idolized.
Ultimately, the modern church's final goal is to "become holy through the Word and fulfill the roles of salt and light in the world, thus continually enlarging the scope of missions." According to the Book of Acts, wherever Paul's team traveled, they encountered riots and conflicts; yet once a church took root in those areas, remarkable spiritual renewal and transformation followed. Pastor David Jang points out that this pattern still holds true. When the gospel is introduced, it may initially provoke resistance or hostility. Over time, however, as people embrace the Word, they drive social and cultural change. Korean churches experienced growth and contributed to social stability after the Japanese colonial period and the chaos following the war. Yet Pastor David Jang notes that now, having grown accustomed to prosperity, the church must ask itself whether it is prepared to endure an "Acts-like challenge" once again.
Pastor David Jang warns that "a church focused solely on material blessings or numerical expansion will soon lose its spiritual vitality, becoming little different from the world." Conversely, a church that turns away from idols and returns to the Word-and remains faithful to the true essence of the gospel-can keep providing "genuine life" to the people around it, whether large or small. Such a church's approach to missions transcends merely increasing numbers: it transforms individuals and sanctifies entire regions. Therefore, Pastor David Jang offers two core insights for the modern church and its mission. First, "the church must remain firmly anchored in the Word." Second, "with that spiritual power, the church ought to go boldly into the world to renew and purify culture rather than conforming to it." Reflecting on Acts 19, 20, and beyond, we can see that these two pillars worked in tandem throughout Paul's journey.
Thus, when confronting today's numerous challenges-secularization, religious pluralism, consumerism, and the lightning-fast evolution of media-our ultimate solution differs little from what Paul declared in Ephesus: "Objects made by human hands are not gods," and "Only the gospel of Jesus Christ is the way of salvation." Pastor David Jang insists that achieving real-world application of this truth demands delving more deeply into Scripture, humbly submitting ourselves, and continually repenting before God. A church is simply a group of individuals who do exactly that, and such a church embodies God's mission on earth.
To summarize, Pastor David Jang's preaching on Acts 19 and 20 revolves around three broad themes:
1. A Strong Warning Against Idolatry: From the Ephesian incident, we learn that if the church fails to reject idols and rely on the Word, it loses its essence.
2. Zeal for Proclaiming the Gospel and an Apostolic Posture: As Paul and his associates pressed forward with the gospel despite many hindrances and persecutions, the modern church should adopt the same perseverance.
3. Practical Applications for the Modern Church and Missions: This includes strategies that remain centered on Scripture, engaging with and understanding culture while not compromising biblical truth, and collaborating in networked ministry guided by the Holy Spirit.
Above all, Pastor David Jang repeatedly warns that we should not reduce missions to a "program" guided solely by impressive theories or success metrics. The journey that took Paul from Ephesus to Corinth, Philippi, and ultimately Rome was far from glamorous or mechanically flawless. Rather, he relied on prayer to overcome each challenge, worked closely with co-laborers, and strove to root the church in the Word. For Pastor David Jang, this apostolic itinerary demonstrates most concretely "how the Holy Spirit and the power of the Word establish the church." He concludes that if today's church follows this path, it can remain free from the pull of idolatry and fulfill its duty to proclaim the gospel fully.
Finally, the story of how idol-makers in Ephesus clashed with the gospel leads to Paul traveling onward to Jerusalem and Rome. This sequence indicates more than a mere historical progression; it symbolizes the fulfillment of the Lord's commission to "go and be my witnesses to the ends of the earth" (cf. Acts 1). Pastor David Jang emphasizes that such fulfillment continues into the 21st century. He frequently reminds us in his sermons that if the church refuses to be swayed by various forms of modern-day idolatry, clings firmly to Scripture, and enters the world boldly to shine the gospel's light, the work begun in Acts will go on uninterrupted.
Underpinning all these stages is the cluster of core themes Pastor David Jang tirelessly reiterates: "Word-centeredness, rejection of idols, gospel proclamation, apostolic zeal, and reliance on the Holy Spirit." Drawing meticulous insights from Acts 19 and 20, he explores how the church transformed Ephesus-once steeped in idolatry-into a forward base for the gospel, expanding into other regions and cultures. Ultimately, he concludes that when believers stand humbly before God, ready to sow gospel seeds in any setting, idols are toppled, and the church is reborn. Pastor David Jang assures his audience that any community or believer who embraces this message can continue to advance through every era's confusion, thus carrying forward the legacy of the Acts church.
