Chapter 19:21-41 - Artemis of the Ephesians

Demetrius was an artisan and a businessman in Ephesus. As the Gospel message spread in the region, Demetrius became concerned. His art, his trade was the production of silver shrines to the goddess Artemis. He saw the message of Paul and the followers of Jesus as a threat. Verses 21-41 outline his plan to stop the message from taking hold. As Willie Jennings points out in his commentary on Acts, Demetrius was shrewd and knew what could make people respond and react. He said that Paul’s message would hurt the people financially and was an attack on the theology of the people. “There is danger not only to this trade, but to the great goddess Artemis, that she might be counted as nothing.” 
Systems of economics and religion that hurt more people than they help ought to be called out.  
There is no doubt that the Artemis industry financially benefitted Demetrius and a number of others, but the heart of it was a system of economic and religious exploitation. Often people who had little money at all would spend money within this system likely seeking some kind of appeasing of the gods, but really lining the pockets of the industry and those behind it. 
The gospel is a threat to such exploitation. It remains so. However, too often Christians have taken the side of the exploitation rather than the side of freedom. In the text, the strategy of Demetrius is to have people holler out that “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” You can still hear such cries now as people, Christians included holler out status quo declarations intended to uphold social and economic and religious systems that are taken as “the way things are”. Often these are systems that benefit the few at the cost of the many. They are often systems that are racist and sexist. 
Watch out for the “Demetrius’s” of our own day. Consider also where Demetrius’ words of selfishness, disguised as wisdom can come from your own mouth. 

Dear God; 
Let me see the truth of Jesus Christ in the world. Show me where my actions and words protect me rather than seek the good of others, particularly those in need. 
In Jesus’ name, 
Amen