Tyrannus
Acts 19.8-12
So….Do you have “heroes” that no one has actually heard of? Personalities that we know little about….but notice the “bigger-than-life” impact they had on their world.
I’ve got a couple heroes like that. One is Tyrannus.
We actually know very little about Tyrannus….but let me set the stage a bit.
Back in the day Ephesus was a major cosmopolitan; probably second only to the city of Rome itself. Truly, an international crossroads; an intersection of cultures. An affluent city; A city known for its religious center; A center where philosopies were exchanged.
If “it” was happening….. “it” was happening in Ephesus.
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The Apostle and his followers were there.
Paul taught in the synagogue for about three months….until he basically offended everyone in the place…and he was escorted to the door.
Now Paul was a man on a mission…and he was always ready to go. But something held his interest; captued his heart, about Ephesus….so he stayed. For over two years; day after day; Paul taught, exhorted, declared, and laid out both the promise and the challenge of God’s Kingdom.
Daily for two years from the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
Who? Yeah! Tyrannus
So.who was he…who was Tyrannus?… He could have been a teacher himself; a sophist: a teacher of philosophy. Maybe Tyrannus was just a budding student; hungry to learn the truth. It could be Tyrannus was just looking to make a buck off the traffic interested in hearing the next new philosophical point of view.
Tyrannus……We just don’t know!
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What we do know is Tyrannus was impacted by the teaching that Paul was presenting; deeply impacted. So he opened his hall to the Apostle Paul and kept his invitation in place for two years. Tyrannus discovered a desire to see Paul’s message gain as many students as possible. Tyrannus extended provision to Paul (and his guys) so that Paul’s message…his ministry might thrive.
And thrive it did.
There are a couple of statements that point out the inordiante growth and influence Paul’s ministry had. The scripture says that from the hall of Tyrannus Paul’s teaching spread to all who lived in the province of Asia. WOW! That’s pretty widespread. No internet….No Fox News or CNN…..No nationally televised debate. Just Paul’s teaching being presented from the lecture hall of Tyrannus AND the entire province of Asia was impacted.
Then go another couple of verses where we would read that, “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul.” Whoa!!!! I kind of figured that every miracle was “extraordinary.” What was God doing in and through the Apsotle Paul??!!
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What did Tyrannus actually do? Not much! But what he did do was to open the resource of his life that the life and ministry of Paul would go forward. Tyrannus’ desire was that Paul would thrive.
And that is why Tyrannus is a hero.
Our desire is that as you grow and develop in your calling you will have an inordinant impact; a greater influence then you could have imagined. And that when people seek to describe what God is doing in and through your life and ministry; through your leadership; they would use the word “extraordinary.”
What drives us, motivates us, encourages us forward…..our desire that you would thrive.
Let us open our “lecture hall” to you.
Let us partner with you
Let us serve you.
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